National Basketball Association

Barnes: Ex-fiancee cheated with friend

Published Nov. 23, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

While rumors have swirled over the past several weeks about a budding romance between Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes and actress Eva Longoria, Barnes clarified his relationship with the "Desperate Housewives" star on Wednesday and also revealed his own little secret.

Barnes, who split with his former fiancee, reality television star Gloria Govan, in May, explained in a statement released by his publicist that he agreed to portray that he was still with Govan for the upcoming season of her VH1 show. According to Barnes, Govan asked him to delay publicizing their separation for the interest of her show and is now trying to "manipulate the professional relationship between Eva Longoria and myself as the sole reason for our separation."

Barnes, who has two children with Govan, works on Longoria's foundation, Padres Contra El Cancer.

Furthermore, Barnes said that a joint statement with Govan about their separation was released in August because of her ongoing affair with a former friend of Barnes'.

"I wish her nothing but the best and I will continue to keep our children as my first priority," Barnes added.

Longoria, who is recently divorced from San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker and reportedly is dating actress Penelope Cruz's little brother, Eduardo, has vehemently denied that she's romantically involved with Barnes.

"First Jessica Simpson, now this. Once again, press gets it wrong. Matt Barnes and I are not dating! Why is the truth never the headline?" she wrote on her WhoSay account last month.

Reports of a relationship between Barnes and Longoria began to surface after the two were spotted eating dinner together in New York several weeks ago and also partying at a Las Vegas nightclub in October.