Carter Kelly Barnes Plays Basketball With His Twin Brother
Carter Kelly Barnes is a high school basketball player whose development has been closely connected to his twin brother, Isaiah Michael Barnes. The sons of former NBA player Matt Barnes and Gloria Govan have shared teams since childhood, later joining the varsity program at Crespi Carmelite High School.
Carter plays as a point guard and shooting guard. His verified record includes varsity competition, a strong showing with Isaiah at the Section 7 tournament, participation in the NBPA Top 100 High School Basketball Camp, and club experience with Paul George Elite. He has also balanced basketball with his education, earning a place on Crespi’s academic honor roll.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Carter Kelly Barnes |
| Parents | Matt Barnes and Gloria Govan |
| Twin brother | Isaiah Michael Barnes |
| High school | Crespi Carmelite High School |
| Graduation class | Class of 2027 |
| Basketball positions | Point guard and shooting guard |
| Club program | Paul George Elite |
Carter and Isaiah Barnes Grew Up Playing Together
Carter Kelly Barnes and Isaiah Michael Barnes were born on November 6, 2008. Isaiah arrived first, followed by Carter six minutes later. Carter weighed 5 pounds 7 ounces at birth, while Isaiah weighed 5 pounds 14 ounces.
Their parents are Matt Barnes and Gloria Govan. Matt’s official Los Angeles Lakers biography also identified Carter and Isaiah as his twin sons, supporting the family information reported when they were born.
Basketball became a shared activity early in their lives. In a June 2024 interview with Cronkite News, Carter recalled that he and Isaiah had played on the same teams since they were approximately four years old. As of that interview, the brothers had never played for separate teams.
That history gives their partnership a longer foundation than their current high-school careers. They learned the game alongside each other before eventually reaching varsity basketball at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California.
Their Twin Partnership Shapes Their Playing Experience
Carter has spoken directly about what it is like to play beside his twin. He described the experience positively, noting the unusual advantage of sharing the court with someone who looks like him and has a similar playing style.
Their connection is not limited to familiarity. Carter told Cronkite News that the brothers hold each other accountable during games. When one becomes frustrated or discouraged, the other tries to provide encouragement and help him regain focus.
Those comments offer the clearest first-hand insight into their relationship as teammates. Carter did not present the partnership as effortless. Instead, he described an arrangement in which both brothers are expected to respond when the other is struggling.
Their shared basketball history continued from childhood teams into school competition and national development events.
Carter’s remarks concern their on-court relationship rather than every part of their personal lives. Publicly available interviews do not provide detailed statements from either brother about private family matters outside basketball.
Carter Developed as a Guard at Crespi
Carter attends Crespi Carmelite High School and is a member of the Class of 2027. He has played varsity basketball as both a point guard and shooting guard.
Cronkite News reported that he averaged 7.3 points, 1.2 assists and 1.2 rebounds during his freshman season in 2023–24. Those figures provide a statistical record of his freshman varsity season.
His role has included more than scoring. Cronkite News described him as a guard who tries to involve teammates, provide encouragement and defend demanding offensive players. That description came from the publication’s assessment of his basketball approach rather than from Carter presenting a broader description of his personality.
Public basketball profiles list Carter as both a point guard and shooting guard, although the verified information does not provide a game-by-game breakdown of how Crespi uses him.
Current basketball profiles list him at 6 feet 2 inches and 175 pounds. Earlier services published smaller measurements, including 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 1 inch. The sources do not explain the differences; 6 feet 2 inches and 175 pounds are the measurements in his current public roster listing.
The Twins Made an Impact at Section 7
Carter and Isaiah competed with Crespi at the 2024 Section 7 tournament.
During a game against Lincoln High School, the brothers combined for 39 points. The available report did not separate the total into individual scoring figures, so the precise number contributed by each player was not established.
Crespi completed its four-game tournament weekend undefeated. The result gave the twins a notable shared performance during the period after their freshman season.
The tournament also provided the setting for Carter’s direct comments about playing beside Isaiah. Rather than focusing only on their combined scoring, he discussed the accountability and encouragement that define their partnership during difficult moments.
Their Section 7 appearance therefore documented both their competitive production and the way Carter understands their roles as teammates.
National Camps and Club Basketball Expanded His Experience
Carter was selected to participate in the 2025 NBPA Top 100 High School Basketball Camp as a member of the Class of 2027. The event was held from June 9 through June 13 and brought together prominent high-school prospects for competition and development.
ESPN reported that Carter averaged five points, two rebounds and 2.3 assists during the camp. These numbers provide a record of his performance within that particular event rather than a complete evaluation of his recruiting position.
Selection for the camp placed him in a nationally recognized development environment. It did not, however, establish a college commitment, scholarship, or professional pathway. No university announcement or direct statement from Carter has confirmed where he plans to continue his education after high school.
Outside Crespi, he has also been associated with Paul George Elite. The club connection appears in basketball profiles and first-party social content from the program.
A July 2026 recruiting report included Carter, playing with PG Elite, among prospects being observed during the Nike EYBL Las Vegas period. That coverage indicates that evaluators were watching him, but it did not confirm a university offer or formal commitment.
His public basketball record therefore includes school competition, club play and national development events, while his longer-term college plans remain undetermined in the verified information.
His Education Continues Alongside Basketball
Carter and Isaiah completed eighth grade in May 2023. Their parents publicly marked the graduation before the twins entered high school.
At Crespi, Carter has also received academic recognition. The school included him on its Spring 2024 Academic Honor Roll, an official list for students who earned a grade-point average of at least 3.0.
The record confirms that he met the school’s stated academic threshold while participating in varsity basketball. Crespi did not publish his exact GPA, individual grades or class ranking.
He is scheduled to graduate with the Class of 2027. No verified source has identified his preferred college, intended field of study, or final post-graduation decision.
The available information supports a limited but useful educational picture: he entered high school in 2023, earned academic honor-roll recognition during his first year, and continued as a student-athlete at Crespi.
An Injury Affected His Mexico U18 Opportunity
Carter participated in Mexico’s preparation process for the 2026 FIBA U18 AmeriCup. FIBA later reported that an injury prevented him from competing in the tournament.
Carter’s involvement was limited to the preparation process because the injury kept him out of tournament competition. Isaiah made the playing roster, while Carter did not take part in the event itself.
FIBA did not identify the nature of the injury, explain when it happened, or publish a recovery schedule.
Carter Entered His Senior Season With Crespi
A Crespi roster published through MaxPreps and updated on July 2, 2026, listed Carter as a senior guard wearing No. 3 for the 2026–27 season.
The roster also recorded him at 6 feet 2 inches and 175 pounds. As with most high-school sports listings, those measurements are roster information rather than independently verified physical measurements.
His previous season included participation in Crespi’s postseason schedule. MaxPreps records show the team competing in the CIF Southern Section Open Division and the California Division I state tournament. Crespi’s recorded season ended with a 59–55 loss to Damien on March 5, 2026.
Entering his senior year placed Carter in the final stage of his high-school basketball career. His verified public profile at that point remained centered on Crespi, Paul George Elite, development camps, and the opportunity he had pursued with Mexico’s under-18 preparation program.
Recruiting attention and participation in prominent events remained part of his senior-year record.
Carter and Isaiah Have Built Their Basketball Path Together
Carter Kelly Barnes has developed as a high-school guard while sharing much of his basketball experience with Isaiah. From childhood teams to Crespi’s varsity program, the twins have spent years learning, competing and responding to difficult moments together.
Their Section 7 performance, Carter’s NBPA Top 100 Camp appearance and his club experience with Paul George Elite have added new levels to that foundation. His academic honor-roll recognition also forms part of his verified high-school record.
Carter’s own comments provide the clearest description of the partnership: the brothers hold each other accountable and offer encouragement when one begins to struggle.