NBA player Matt Barnes wants fans to know he would never lie about dating superstar singer Rihanna.

Matt Barnes’ Teammate Tells Truth About Him & RIhanna, Implies They’ve Been Texting ‘He Knows Her’

After she shut him down on Instagram following his decision to play coy about rumors that they’re together, Barnes has defended himself and said there’s no way he would go that far when it comes to making up a story about being with the entertainer.

Barnes made an appearance on The Jim Rome Show Wednesday and broke his silence for the first time since Rihanna blasted him on the photo sharing app.

Rihanna Comes For Matt Barnes After He Suggests They’re Dating

He refused to take back his statement he told TMZ about him and Rihanna getting to know one another and seeing where things go. He even told the publication that it was way past the “crush” phrase. While he doesn’t deny the statement, he said it’s a lesson learned in being too chatty when it comes to his personal life.

“You live and you learn. When you’re in a situation like this and, you know, you just learn. You just got to keep stuff to yourself obviously. But the way I’m putting it right now, I’m too grown to lie, you know what I mean. It is what it is. I’m going to let this blow by like everything else blows by.”

He also spoke eon Rihanna’s hashtag filled diss toward him on Instagram in which she wrote “#thedevilisaliar #shesnotintoyouatall #sheneverevenmetyou #thisatuallyhurtmyfeelings #defamationofcharacter” and said he took it all with a grain of salt.

“I just smiled. I just smiled, that’s it. What can you do? At the end of the day we’re all grown-ups. Like I said I’m too grown to be lying about stuff but life is life. You live and you learn.”

Listen to his comments at the 8:15 mark here.

https://jimrome.com/2015/08/19/matt-barnes-talks-rihanna-on-the-jim-rome-show/