J.J. Barea fires back after John Wall calls him 'a little midget'
DALLAS - J.J. Barea won't be gifted a Rolex watch from John Wall anytime soon.
An on-court confrontation between Barea and Wall was just a warm-up act Monday night. Things really got rolling when the veteran point guards exchanged trash talk via the media after Barea's Dallas Mavericks cruised to a 98-75 rout of Wall's Washington Wizards.
Wall fired the first shot when asked about the barking between the two, which resulted in Barea being whistled for a technical foul with 7:42 remaining in the game.
"Just a little midget trying to get mad," Wall said. "I don't pay him no mind."
Barea, a 12-year veteran who is very generously listed at 6 feet, raised his eyebrows when Wall's comment was relayed to him. Barea said Wall's comment was "funny" before firing back.
"Now I have somebody in the NBA that I don't like," Barea said. "That's my first. I don't like him at all now. But I don't think his teammates like him, either. So it's nothing new for him."
Wall, who gave his teammates Rolexes as Christmas gifts this season, has publicly acknowledged chemistry issues with backcourt partner Bradley Beal in the past. Barea's poke at Wall's popularity with his teammates also came the day after a Washington Post story about a Wizards team meeting that didn't go well.