Just a week after informing their friends via text message that their upcoming Aug 21 wedding was canceled, without giving them any explanation, Gloria Govan and Matt Barnes are now defending their relationship in a new interview with Vibe magazine.
In their new interview, Matt and Gloria deny there’s any trouble in paradise despite the fact that they canceled the wedding, rather than postpone it. They also share details of season 2 of the Basketball Wives, and why they decided to come back despite proclaiming several times that they no longer wanted to be on the show.
Excerpts from the couple’s interview below –
VIBE: The word went from the wedding being cancelled to you guys breaking up. What happened?
Gloria Govan: I think because we postponed the wedding, people just took it and ran with that and started challenging each other to see who can come up with the most ridiculous story. I think that’s how it started. I know Matt had let his groomsmen know as I had let a lot of my family members know that we were postponing the wedding, via text message and I think that also sparked a lot of our—one of Matt’s old teammate’s wedding that we were also suppose to be attending [but didn’t]—I think that also sparked a lot of the rumors that got out.
Why did you decide to postpone it?
Gloria: Matt and I feel like marriage is something that should not be rushed into. It wasn’t any outside party. We’re committed and dedicated to working on our relationship and we’re still together but again, we felt like this wasn’t something that was in our hearts at the time. Marriage is something that is definitely our goal but again, we’re not rushing into something that we just feel like isn’t right for us at the time so we’re just taking the time to work on our family.
With the move in progress is it safe to say that there’s no new wedding date yet?
Matt: Yeah. There’s no new wedding date yet.
Matt, you took to twitter to air out your grievances about the women on Basketball Wives. Elaborate on what set you off.
Matt: I just think their focus and their attention could have been in a different direction considering that me and Gloria and Eric [Williams] and Jennifer were the only couples on the show. And I think the whole thing with Shaq and Gloria’s sister kind of went south and kind of dropped while the show was on and I just feel like Shaunie tried to flip the script and blame Gloria, when Gloria had nothing to do with it. And then the rest of those girls—Evelyn and all those other girls—want to tell their sob stories and air their dirty laundry to the world and just because as a couple we choose not to do that doesn’t make us no better or no worse than anybody else. We just decided to keep what’s personal between us in our household and I think that’s how every family should treat it. If you saw the other women on the show acting a mess crying and telling their story, then that’s well within their rights but I just didn’t like how they tried to attack myself and Gloria—poke holes and dig up dirt—that’s really none of their business.
And you’re taping season two right?
Matt: Yeah. We’re taping somewhat. I think the season has already s started [taping] and we’re gonna jump on a little later. I think it’s gonna be more just our family. That’s what I’m hoping, that’s what Gloria and I’s understanding are. So hopefully it just focuses on us and the kids and what we got going on so hopefully we don’t have to associate with the rest of the crew.
Why the decision to join season two after being so vocal about not coming back?
Matt: I just think there was a lot of negative but a lot of positive came from it too. Gloria and I sat down and talked and we decided we gotta use the show the way they’re trying to use us. A lot of doors have opened up for her in opportunities that she would like to pursue for a career and a few things have opened up for me as well and with us moving back to LA even more doors are gonna be opened. So we feel that we can use the show the way they’re going to try to use us to get into our lives and our family.
How has your relationship with Shaunie improved?
Matt: I haven’t spoken to Shaunie. I spoke to Shaq. Me and him kind of talked a little bit and we settled everything down. Personally, I would have liked to talk to Shaunie on the phone but I never got her number, I never got that opportunity. Maybe me going on Twitter saying stuff was a little out of pocket but at the time, it was the only way for me to reach her. But if we cross paths and me and Shaunie sit down and talk, that would be great. That’s not something I need to do but if it happens it happens. Shaq and I spoke to each other, we’re former teammates and we’re cool. And like I said, if me and Shaunie cross paths and we talk then I’m sure everything will be ok.
And Gloria, will you be interacting with the women like in the first season?
Gloria: My goal is not to but I have kept in touch with Suzie.
Oh wow.
Gloria: Yeah [laughs]. We’re obviously not the best of friends but we are very cordial. We have a mutual respect for one another so she was the only one I agreed to film with. The other women, I’m not really interested in.
TELL US: DO YOU THINK MATT AND GLORIA WILL GET MARRIED? ARE YOU EXCITED FOR A SECOND SEASON OF THE SHOW?
