Will the Real R.J. Barrett Please Stand Up?
Expectations, generational talent, and now mixed NBA Summer League results have left some unanswered questions around the Knicks latest attempt at a building block.
For months, scouts called the 2019 NBA Draft a “Three-man race.” The notion that this was a top-heavy draft came from the generational talents of Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and R.J. Barrett. But there was something little off about the last guy. Williamson and Morant had that “it” factor, the thing that put them in a class of their own, but not everyone was as convinced about Barrett.
Barrett is perhaps the biggest enigma of this draft. For someone who’s expected to be an unquestioned superstar, Barrett had an inconsistent and inefficient freshman season for the Duke Blue Devils. So naturally people start asking, if he can’t dominate the college ranks, how will fare in the NBA? It’s a fair question honestly.
The Good, The Bad, and The Barrett
People forget, but before the season started R.J. Barrett was “supposed” to be a lock to go No. 1 overall. He was “supposed” to be the top recruit in the country and “supposed” to be the best player in college basketball. Then about 10 minutes into the first Duke game of the season, the world met Zion Williamson.
But that shouldn’t take away Barrett’s reputation. The entire year, he stood right behind Zion as one of the best players in the nation while averaging 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists, showing his loaded skill set on a nightly basis. Barrett proved to be a multidimensional talent that could do a lot of things on a basketball court.
The 6’7”, 208-pound wing has a prototypical 6’10” wingspan. He’s a fantastic athlete with plus quickness and the ability to change speeds. Barrett already has an NBA ready body with his strength being rare for someone in the collegiate ranks. He’s also a high IQ player that can score in a variety of ways. But he’s at his best when he’s attacking the rim where he has both the power and finesse to score through/around defenders. He’s an underrated passer and a versatile ball handler that can play the coveted point forward position.
Barrett plays tough and remains competitive, giving his all on the court. However, it’s that sort of mentality that’s almost gotten him in trouble. His questionable shot selection has led to some very inefficient stat lines, which is concerning for his NBA profile.
Barrett put up a ton of points at Duke, but he also scored 22.6 (points) on 18.5 shot attempts. The 45.4 FG% isn’t the worst thing in the world, but his 30.8 3PT% will give you shakes at night. But even beyond the stats, watch a Duke game and you can see Barrett consistently trying to do too much, as he mindlessly plays hero ball while the reality is he’s on the most talented team in the country.
It’s these sorts of things that are questionable, but it’s important to remember how badly the Blue Devils struggled to space the floor. Duke shot 30.8% from beyond the arc, which ranked 329th in the nation. Defenses were free to double Barrett with no consequences. It sounds like an excuse, and to some part, it might be, but there’s no doubting it put a dent in Barrett’s production.
A “Rough” Summer League
When the NBA Summer League started, New York Knicks fans didn’t know what to expect. Was it going to be the inefficient R.J. that took 30 shots to put up 30 points? Or would it be a cleaner, more polished version that would resemble what a Top 3 pick should look like? After a 10-day escapade in Vegas, we truly got a mixed bag of results.
Barrett put up a solid 15.6 points per game, but his 8.6 rebounds was somewhat unexpected. He even showed out as a passer with 4.2 assists. He flashed promise all summer league, but his lack of shooting (33.8 FG% and 23.3 3PT%) was ultimately the headline. But what people aren’t talking about with Barrett is how he steadily improved over the course of the summer league.
The 19-year-old rookie started it all off on an awful note, shooting 4–18 from the field in a showdown with college teammate Zion Williamson and the Pelicans. But after that Barrett started to get smarter. He took the lessons from his coaching staff and started to make better decisions. Barrett finished the summer league on a strong note with 21 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds on 7–13 shooting, while even showing the ability to be an elite defender.
The Knicks were clear on how they wanted to proceed. All summer league, they handed Barrett the ball early & often, making him the primary shot creator & facilitator in this offense. The Knicks knew he would struggle, but allowing him to learn from his mistakes and grow from it is an invaluable trait that will stick to him for a very long time.
David Fizdale Holds The Keys
The months leading up to the NBA Draft, fans were split. Some thought he was destined for stardom, others remained concerned with his head-scratching shot selection. But I continued to say, “R.J. Barrett has superstar potential, he has the tools and skill set to succeed, he just needs someone to sit him down and coach him to make the right decisions.”
Barrett is not the first prospect to come out of college that can’t shoot, and that’s okay. What is not okay, is that he takes more than SIX threes a game without the ability to make them efficiently, while forcing the issue on drives repeatedly when the shots aren’t there. He needs a coach who can teach him patience, someone who can get him to pick and choose his spots.
Now with David Fizdale in New York, it’s a match made in heaven. From his days in Memphis, Fizdale has proven to be an awesome player development coach. We’ve seen it recently with guys like Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson, but he even got the veteran Marc Gasol to start shooting threes for the Grizzlies.
Fizdale knows how to develop skill sets, but perhaps more importantly, he knows how to coach personalities. His past players talk about how their former head coach genuinely cares for his players, like a friend not just a coach. Fizz knows how to deal with players, manage egos and light a fire under his guys.
R.J. Barrett needs this sort of guidance in his life. Fizdale’s work off the court is sure to prove fruitful. Fizdale demands the best out of his players, but he doesn’t hang them out to try. Mike Conley talked about how Fizdale used to always motivate him to be the best version of himself, leading to a career season. Fizdale just finished off his inaugural season with the Knicks going a disappointing 17–65, but that shouldn’t take away from how he’ll impact this talented rookie.
Never Fear, Barrett Is Here
Barrett is the franchise talent New York needs. He’s the poster boy as someone who’s ready to step into Madison Square Garden and enjoy the bright lights. He’s got a killer mentality that you just can’t teach. Behind the window dressing, behind the shooting struggles, behind the inefficient nights, you see the makings of someone who’s going to develop into a true superstar.
All statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.
