Rihanna Takes An NBA Star To Task On Instagram

A word of advice to anyone planning to publicly imply they have something going on with a pop star: Don't throw Rihanna's name in there, because she will call you out on it fast. Just look at what happened to NBA player Matt Barnes, who told TMZ in not so many words that he had a little somethin' going on with the Bad Gal herself. Just a few hours later, Rihanna swiftly slammed Barnes on Instagram for this apparently false information and "#defamationofcharacter." And by "slammed" I really mean "skewered," because the "Rude Boy" singer literally held nothing back. Looks like the Memphis Grizzlies player really was a rude boy, indeed.

Here's the deal: TMZ recently "caught up" with Barnes and proceeded to grill him on his Rihanna relationship status after the celebs allegedly went on two dates. Though the basketball player never once said they were dating and actually referred to the rumors as "speculation," he heavily implied that he saw their "friendship" going the romantic route. "Rihanna's my friend right now. So we'll see where it goes," Barnes told TMZ. "I think it just passed the crush stage." And when asked if him moving Memphis would be a problem, the basketball player just laughed it off. "No, she's rich," he joked. "We'll be alright."

For her part, Rihanna did NOT appreciate the basketball player running his mouth about their alleged relationship, especially since there is no relationship to speak of, according to her. She wasted no time calling Barnes out via Instagram, sharing a screenshot of his TMZ interview and using a series of truly incredible hashtags that speak for themselves. (I personally find "#shesnotthatintoyou" "#shesnotthatintoyouatall" and "#shesneverevenmetyou" to be the best of the best.)

But one of the most heartfelt hashtags — "#thisactuallyhurtmyfeelings" — is the one that really puts it all in perspective. Sure, it's not like Barnes was technically dissing Rihanna or making truly outlandish claims about the singer, but it must suck to hear him imply that they have something going on, when, according to her, they've never even met. While Rihanna might be on top of the world, she's not above being offended by guys claiming they're dating her when she knows they're not. Now, I am not one to support public shaming, but I strongly believe that Rihanna had every right to stand up for herself and call Barnes out, considering he was already speaking publicly — and on camera — about her.

Just keep doin' you, Rihanna.

Image: Giphy