RJ Barrett Update!
And what he needs to work on to hit the next level.
RJ Barrett is in an interesting place right now. He’s with his dream team, the New York Knicks. He signed a massive contract extension last year and he helped Canada to a bronze medal performance, beating Paolo Banchero and Team USA in the process.
Life is good for Barrett, but playing for the Knicks means you’re in a fish bowl, and not a very big one.
In this article from the New York Post, Fran Fraschilla has a lot of praise for the former Duke star. He raves about his character, saying “I think we would all love to coach a player with that intensity and competitiveness.“ but also saying that what separates Barrett from the next level is three point shooting: “Going back to his high school days, he’s pretty much reaching the potential that he has. He’s playing the way I thought he would always play. The athleticism, competitiveness, confidence level and ability to get to the lane is everything he’s done since the time he was 15 years old. The one thing that separates him from being an above-average NBA player to being an All-Star is inability to consistently make 3-point shots.
“Because that holds him back. It makes him a little easier to guard.”
In the Post article, someone suggests that Barrett is moving into his prime, which he says is ridiculous, he’s only 23. And that’s very fair.
What we’ve learned about Barrett since his Duke days is this: that guy works hard. If it’s possible for him to become an elite three point shooter, he’s going to get there.