Anansa Sims is the then-girlfriend-now-fiancee of an American former professional basketball player Matt Barnes, who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Anansa is much more than just Matt’s girlfriend. She is an independent woman with many talents. People who have been following her from the beginning know her as a TV personality, motivational speaker, designer, etc.
Some might even say she is a star kid as she is a daughter of a famous supermodel, Beverley Johnson, and a record label producer, the late Danny Sims.
Anansa has been a part of many popular shows since she started her modeling journey in her teens.
Some shows that helped her gain widespread fame include America’s Next Top Model (2003) and The Wendy Williams Show (2008).
Although she once felt low because of constant bullying and body shaming, she has now turned that into her strength. She is currently one of the most successful plus-sized models in America.
Let’s explore her life in detail in the article below. Here are some quick facts first.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Anansa Sims |
| Date of Birth | December 27, 1978 |
| Birth Place | New York, United States |
| Nick Name | Not available |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Zodiac Sign | Capricorn |
| Age | 45 Years Old |
| Height | 5’9″/1.75 m/175 cm |
| Weight | 70 kg/154 lb. |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Build | Curvy |
| Father’s Name | Danny Sims |
| Mother’s Name | Beverley Johnson |
| Education |
|
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Boyfriend’s Name | Matt Barnes |
| Kids | Four (Three kids with David Patterson and one with Matt) |
| Profession | Actress, Model, TV Personality, etc. |
| Shows | The Talk, The Mo’Nique Show, etc. |
| Siblings | None |
| Net Worth of Matt | $13 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch of Matt Barnes | Trading Card, Signed Floor Board |
| Last Update | March 2024 |
Early Life, Family & Education
Anansa Sims was born to Danny Sims and Beverley Johnson in New York, United States, on December 27, 1978.
Her mother, Beverley, was previously married to a real estate agent named Billy Potter. After ending her relationship with Potter, she began dating Danny, fifteen years older than her.
Beverley is the first black American model ever to get featured on the cover of the famous American magazine Vogue.
Although relatively less popular than his wife, her father was a music producer and publisher who worked with many famous singers of the 60s and 70s.
He was mainly known for signing contracts and collaborating with the well-known Jamaican Rastafarian singer Bob Marley. Sadly Mr. Sims died in October 2012 due to colon cancer.
Anansa’s parents separated just a few months after her birth. As both her parents were from the entertainment industry, Anansa dreamed of getting into the world of glamour from a young age.
However, her mother was initially against her daughter’s wish to enter modeling. So, Anansa had to focus on her studies as well.
But, when Anansa was in the last years of high school, Beverley changed her previous decision and allowed her daughter to pursue modeling.
Anansa, to make her mom proud, later attended college after high school graduation. She has a Bachelor’s degree in business from the State University of New York (SUNY).
Moreover, she graduated with her MBA from Trinity Washington University as well.
Anansa’s Mother Was Her Role Model
After being featured on the covers of two different magazines, Vogue and Elle, within just a year, in the 1970s, her mother, Beverly, later appeared in films, TV shows, and movies.
Similarly, she has written a couple of books, and in 2008, The New York Times named her one of the most influential people in fashion in the 20th century.
As Anansa stayed with her mother after her parents parted ways, she was primarily influenced by her mother. She has always looked up to her growing up, so she considers her mother a role model.
Career
Anansa started her modeling career when she was just seventeen. However, she faced troubles in her early days because of her overweight and lost many projects along the way.
As a result, she prepared her diet plans and followed them strictly to look “fit” as per various modeling and advertisement agencies. She used to stay without food for days and be regular in the gym to reduce her weight which was often exhausting.
Although she lost a considerable amount of body fat after intense dieting, she became feeble. But, to her disappointment, when she visited an ad agency in New York, they rejected her, saying she still needed to lose some more weight.
That, of course, frustrated her, and then she returned to her studies. After completing her master’s, she started working as a financial consultant in a real estate company in Atlanta.
Doing What She Likes Most
Sims had almost given up on her dreams of becoming a model, but fortunately, she learned about a modeling agency named Wilhemina Models in Los Angeles. She went for the audition there, and they hired her straight away.
She then started posing for various popular magazines and calendars, establishing her as one of the most sought-after plus-sized models. Sims has already appeared as a model for magazines like Essence and Glamour US.
Furthermore, she runs her plus-size clothing line, mainly selling swimwear and jeans.
In recent years, she has obtained a new status as a television personality. She has now been a part of various popular shows such as Beverley’s Full House (2012), America’s Next Top Model (2003), etc.
In addition, she is into fashion design and manages to show up at various events as a motivational speaker.
Age, Weight & Height
Anansa Sims was born in 1978, so she is currently 45 years old. Similarly, she stands at a remarkable height of 1.75 meters (5 feet 9 inches).
Sims has been chubby since childhood, and as a plus-sized model, she weighs around 154 pounds (70 kg).
The model had lost a lot of weight during her college years, but now she feels confident in her body and does not stress much thinking about it.
About Matt Barnes
Matthew Kelly Barnes, commonly known as Matt Barnes, is an American former professional basketball player who played for different teams for fifteen years in the NBA and G-League.
Although he did not win significant individual honors and awards during his professional career, he became an NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors in 2017.
Originally from California, Matt had played high school basketball for the Del Campo High School in Fair Oaks, where he developed his basketball skills and progressed as a promising small forward.
He later played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. Even though he had good stats towards the end of his college career, Matt had difficulty getting into the NBA.
The Memphis Grizzlies picked him in the second round of the 2002 NBA draft.
Before his relationship with Anansa, Matt was married to an American model and entrepreneur, Gloria Govan.
However, their relationship could not survive long as the two frequently fought and struggled to find common ground. In 2010, Matt was even arrested on the charge of domestic violence.
The former NBA player married her in 2011, promising he would never harm her, but their marriage ended in a divorce in 2014, citing irreconcilable differences.
The former couple shares twin sons together. Both of them have moved on with their lives and Govan is now married to Derek Fisher, Barnes’ former teammate.
Matt is now happily living with his fiancee, Anansa Sims and works as a Sports Analyst on ESPN and NBC Sports California for Sacramento Kings games.
In addition, he runs a podcast named ‘The Barnes Boyz Podcast,’ where he talks about basketball and games with his sons.
Relationship With Matt Barnes
Anansa Sims has been in a relationship with the former NBA star Matt Barnes since 2017. However, they did not start their relationship soon after they met. The two had known each other for years before they started dating.
Sims briefly attended UCLA before moving to SUNY in Buffalo, New York, to pursue her higher education. During that time in Los Angeles, she first met Matt when he was playing basketball for the UCLA Bruins.
But then, time and their destiny took them to different spaces. While Sims pursued modeling and a real estate business, Matt had a great NBA career and married someone else.
Anansa Sims, too, had a family with another man named David Patterson. But she ended her marriage with Patterson in 2017.
Fortunately, Matt and Anansa met again when they were a bit lost and looking for someone to share their lives with. The old friends got along well and decided to start a new life together.
Soon after, on December 7, 2018, Anansa gave birth to their son, Ashton Barnes.
Brief Break-up & Subsequent Reconciliation
Everything between Anansa and her fiancee, Matt, went well until Anansa shocked her fans through her social media handles in 2020. In February of that year, she suddenly declared herself single on her Instagram bio.
Their fans, who were happy for them, were displeased to see what had surfaced and were curious to know the reason.
Matt came to the fore accusing Sims of keeping their son away from him for no reason.
She replied that Barnes started getting arrogant and also became obsessive, due to which he had begun to harass her in any way possible.
Even when she lived away from him after being unable to withstand him, he frequently harassed her through social media.
The two continued with their cross allegations for around two months and had shown no sign of reconciliation until they appeared together on the occasion of Easter in April.
During that event, Matt apologized for his toxicity to their fans through an Instagram post and promised never to repeat such things.
Similarly, he said sorry to his former wife, Gloria, for not treating her well and wished for her well-being.
Anansa, too, forgave her boyfriend readily and later said that her love for Matt increased even more when they reunited after two months of separation.
Sims got engaged to Matt in December 2022. During the Christmas season, the former NBA player was seen proposing her with a fine diamond ring.
Co-Parenting With Matt
Matt and Anansa had children from their previous relationship, apart from their only child together. Anansa won custody over her three children after getting divorced from her ex-husband, and they, too, live together with their mom and stepdad.
On the other hand, Matt’s twin sons from his previous marriage live with their mother, and he pays a total of $133,976.54 to his ex-wife Gloria Govan in child support. This is the amount after it was reduced from $20,000 to $7,000 per month in 2018.
The couple often remarks that co-parenting their kids has been a fun experience, and they enjoy it.
Allegations On Matt By Her Ex-Husband
Sims shares her three out of four children with a former professional football player, David Patterson Sr.
In 2022, Matt was served a restraining order and was accused of mistreating his then-girlfriend-now-fiancee Anansa Sims’ three children, Ava Brielle, David Patterson Jr., and Dean Danny.
However, the case was not filed by Patterson but by his girlfriend, Melisa Andino.
In February 2023, Matt filed a case AGAINST his fiancee’s ex-husband, Patterson, after he started receiving death threats from the latter.
He shared that his fiancee also has a restraining order against Patterson. After a trial, Sims was granted a permanent three-year restraining order against her ex-husband.
Social Media Presence
The former NBA player’s fiancee is an avid social media user. He frequently posts pictures of her on her social media handles. Her social feed features her children and her fiance, Matt.
Anansa is available on Instagram under the handle @anansasims and Twitter @AnansaSims.
Instagram: 185k followers
Twitter: 2,324 followers
Popularity
Being born to popular parents, fame comes automatically, but she also worked hard in her modeling field to make a name for herself and gained popularity along the journey.
The above graph illustrates the fluctuating popularity trend based on Google searches in the United States over a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Anansa Sims' mother married?
No, Anansa Sims' mother, Beverly Johnson, is unmarried. She has not married anyone since she divorced Danny Sims in 1979. However, she was in a relationship with American actor Chris Noth in the early 90s, but they broke up in 1995.
Does Anansa Sims have any siblings?
No, Anansa Sims does not have siblings. However, she has two half-sisters, Jelani and Stacey, from her father's previous relationship.
