zion williamson

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett eyeing “Rookie of the Year” award for 2019

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New York Knicks, RJ Barrett

While the early favorite for the 2019-20 NBA rookie of the year award is New Orleans Pelican, Zion Williamson, New York Knicks rookie, RJ Barrett shouldn’t be left out of the conversation.

New York Knicks rookie RJ Barrett stated:

(Rookie of the Year) is definitely important. It is something I’ve been thinking about since I was a kid, so I thought the only way to do that is to work hard.

Barrett, who was selected third overall in the most recent draft by the Knicks, averaged 22.6 points, 4.3 assists, and 13.6 rebounds in his lone season with Duke. As the secondary option to Williamson with the Blue Devils, Barrett wasn’t able to fully show his potential. Without Zion taking over college basketball, Barrett would’ve likely been the unanimous first overall pick.

However, he fell several slots to a team that has prioritized building through the draft and youth players. The Knicks were unable to bring in any superstars this off-season, but they signed several veterans in Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, Wayne Ellington, Taj Gibson, Reggie Bullock, Elfrid Payton, and Bobby Portis.

While none of those names stand out like Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, they will help the Knicks youth develop and refine their skills over the next season. Expecting the Knicks to be a playoff-contending team might be a stretch, but if Barrett can live up to his potential and produce enough to be considered for the Rookie of the Year award, they could be in a position to steal a spot in the postseason.

RJ Barrett will be a crucial cog in regards to the offensive production for the team, but the Knicks cannot rely on him to carry the squad in games. A priority moving forward should be to develop the rookies so they can play alongside potential signings in the future. The 6-foot-7 forward will hope to continue his offensive dominance in the NBA, but adjusting to the physicality and speed of professional players will be a challenge. Luckily, he has the mentors to help him reach his potential.

New York Knicks: Could Randle & Barrett be Similar to Zion & Barrett in Duke?

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New York Knicks, RJ Barrett

The New York Knicks’ third pick in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft, RJ Barrett, and free-agent signing, Julius Randle could begin the season as starters depending on training camp and preseason. If both of these left-handed physically gifted players start, RJ Barrett and Julius Randle can have great chemistry out the gate, similar to RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson last season at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski.

Julius Randle plays a similar physical style to Zion Williamson offensively. However, Zion Williamson’s power and jumping ability at only 19 years old is special and unmatched. Once you get past the physical gifts of Zion Williamson and Zion’s superior defense, you might realize both Julius Randle’s and Zion Williamson’s offensive style are identical. Both can bring the ball up the floor, both players can initiate the offense, both can pass, both can finish very well through contact, and both are superb rebounders. Therefore, RJ Barrett definitely can have an instant connection with Randle once they learn each other’s movements on the floor. The two left-handed physical specimens, Barrett and Zion gained chemistry quickly. Therefore, Barrett and Randle chemistry can be positive if the New York Knicks coaching staff puts them in positions to succeed on both ends. Randle makes up for the explosiveness compared to Zion by becoming an improved overall shooter including behind the arc. Of course, it took Randle years to get there. It will be the same for Zion Williamson regarding his jump-shot. Reps in the gym are vital for increased shooting percentages.

Overall, watching RJ Barrett and Julius Randle coexist together on the court in small samples during the preseason will be something interesting to watch in early October.

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett will have the best NBA career

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Will the New York Knicks draft Duke star, RJ Barrett in the 2019 NBA Draft?

The New York Knicks were able to get one of the best young prospects in this year’s draft.  RJ Barrett wanted to come to New York and play on the biggest stage.  With his ability and mentality to be a great player, will he have the best career of his fellow draftees?

NBA.com did their annual rookie survey and asked rookies several questions.  One of the bigger questions was, ‘who would have the best NBA career?’

Hawk’s  SG Cam Reddish led the way with 19% of the voting.  Followed by Grizzlies PG Ja Morant with 16%, then SF Hawk’s De’Andre Hunter, 11%.

Next came Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Coby White and Jaxson Hayes all tied for fourth with 5% of the voting for the best NBA career.  Everyone of these players have the potential to have a very long, successful NBA career, but only some will exceed those expectations.

Williamson is a run-away to have the most star potential, as we all figured.  He will without-a-doubt have the most lucrative NBA career since he is already the most marketable.  Williamson will have a long star-powered career if he stays healthy, works on his shot and loses some weight.

Reddish does not seem to pose all the tangibles to have the best NBA career.  He is lackluster defense and is not the best rebounder.  Reddish might be the best shooter, but to have to the best career out of his draft class, he will need to check more boxes when it comes to his overall play.

However, the overall ability that Barrett possesses for the Knicks should give him the best odds to have the best career.

Playing in New York is not easy.  But, give the kid credit for wanting to have that weight on his shoulders already.  If Barrett can figure out how to succeed in New York, he will be loved forever.

Barrett checks all of the boxes, as compared to all of his draftees, except Williamson.  Barrett can shoot, create shots, play defense, rebound and pass.  Not many other players in this past draft can say that.  He was the number overall recruit in the country before Zion stormed onto the scene, there must have been a reason.

He did not have the best summer league, but he is only 19-years-old.  We saw in the later games how he was able to get comfortable and more confident in his play-making.

Barrett has the ability and determination to make him one, if not, the best player in his draft class.  With his ability to perform on both sides of the court, RJ Barrett can have the best NBA career out of his fellow draftees.

New York Knicks: Zion Williamson knows RJ Barrett can be great

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New York Knicks, RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson

While RJ Barrett struggled in his Summer League debut for the New York Knicks, Pelicans top pick Zion Williamson barely played in the competition at all. An injury forced the No. 1 overall pick out, while Barrett played through and undoubtedly saw his fair share of struggles.

However, both former Duke stars are capable of greatness, and Zion was the first to come to the aid of Barrett after his horrendous start.

“(Knicks fans) can expect that they’re getting a killer,” Williamson told SNY.

“For the people that are trying to look down on him, RJ’s been through worse. He knows how to battle through it and he’s going to bring the city everything he’s got.”

New York Knicks fans are ruthless:

New York is the last place any player wants to be if they’re afraid of confrontation and fan feedback. It seems as if Barrett is handling it all in stride, though, given the youth of his career and the massive potential he possesses.

After years of irrelevancy and missing the playoffs, Barrett represents the future and what the team can become. A roster full of talented youth and veteran signings offers a beacon of hope. The signings of Marcus Morris and Julius Randle will be extremely beneficial for the younger players.

Options like Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, and Barrett will all benefit from the quality and leadership of the veterans. They will still face hurdles so early in their career, just as Zion Williamson will, but having teachers and mentors is a significant part of the process.

There’s light on the horizon, Knicks fans.

New York Knicks: Allonzo Trier and Kevin Knox light up Summer League (VIDEO)

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New York Knicks, RJ Barrett

While the New York Knicks fell to the Pelicans 80-74 in their first Summer League game of the year, they led at one point by 18 in the second quarter.

When all cylinders were clicking, the starting five looked daunting and effective moving the floor. One player that stood out was shooting guard, Allonzo Trier.

Finishing the night with 21 points, Trier put on a shooting display, connecting several times from beyond the arc and utilized his step-back jumper frequently throughout the game. Despite a tough Knicks effort, there was still 7:53 left in the fourth-quarter before after-shocks from a Southern California 7.1 earthquake rattled the arena and forced the game’s premature ending.

The New York Knicks top pick faced off with his former teammate:

The big story of the night, however, was the first meeting of RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson on their respective teams. Zion, who’s known for his physicality around the rim, showed off his dunking abilities once more, putting home 11 points (4-of-9 shooting). A knee to knee collision saw him leave the game early, but Barrett, the 3rd overall pick by the Knicks carried on.

The forward finished the night with 10 points after a bad shooting night — 4-of-18 from the field, it’s expected from him to feel the jitters of the NBA early on. He will begin to adapt and develop as the Summer League and offseason progresses.

Aside from Barrett and Trier, second-year man Kevin Knox also had a good game, scoring 17 points and hitting several three-pointers, one of which was right in front of Williamson’s outstretched arm.

While the Knicks didn’t come away with the win, a heroic performance from Frank Jackson of the Pelicans saved the day (30 points). The youth ranks of the Knicks looked solid and will only continue to grow and develop as they experience more playing time together. It will be exciting to see their chemistry align with one another.

New York Knicks Summer League

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The New York Knicks open up their NBA Summer League with a bang.  The newest New York Knick, RJ Barrett, will face off against his former teammate/roommate Zion Williamson, now a New Orleans Pelican.

The first game, against the Pelicans, is on ESPN on Friday July 5th at 9:30 p.m. EST.  The Knicks have three games following the first matchup of RJ & Zion. Sunday, July 7th against the Phoenix Suns.  Tuesday, July 9th against the defending champion Toronto Raptors.  Then their finale against the Los Angeles Lakers.  All games are at 9:30 p.m. EST.

The faithful Knick fans will see the draft pick that pretty much everyone cheered for. Barrett is ready for New York and so are the fans.  He may even be as loved as Zion is, well at least with New York fans.

Barrett does have a lot of pressure on him, but he is embracing that.  Kevin Knox had the same last year when he was selected 9th overall.  Knox had a very strong summer league, but a sub-par season.

Barrett will be a different story.  He was the number one player out of high school and in college, until Zion happened.  Barrett will be able to come to New York, be a plug-in, starter and produce.  He wants to be in New York and ready for whatever.  The Knicks organization and fans expect big things from RJ.

New York Knicks: Will RJ Barrett lure big free agents to Big Apple?

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New York Knicks, RJ Barrett

As expected, the New York Knicks selected Duke star RJ Barrett with the 3rd overall pick. After fending off the Atlanta Hawks for the Knicks’ first-round pick, it was nearly a guarantee they’ be selecting the 6-foot-7 swingman.

Barrett will bring a tenacious mentality towards success and production in New York, despite shooting just 31% from behind the arc and 67% from the free-throw line last season. Those two deficiencies will be ironed out in his rookie campaign, but his potential remains sky-high.

What does RJ Barrett bring to the New York Knicks?

An elite scorer around the rim and solid defender, RJ has the ability to take the Knicks to another level during his career. His influence alone should be a catalyst in luring max-contract players to the Mecca.

The hardest part in recruiting superstars will be convincing them to have faith in the youth agenda the Knicks are following. A majority of their players are under 20-years-old, which puts the team in a good position. If they aren’t able to bring in a player like Kevin Durant, they can simply continue forward with their young players and continue developing them.

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However, signing Durant and a high-profile point guard would go a long way in the growth of the young players and allowing them to see success early on in their careers. A devastatingly poor season in 2018 surely didn’t help them in their overall confidence, but it was essential for them to earn playing time and understand the talent they must compete against.

Barrett, though, is versed in competition, and would likely have been the consensus No. 1 pick if Zion Williamson hadn’t taken college basketball by storm. Moving forward, we should expect to see the Knicks aggressively pursue Durant and Kawhi Leonard in free agency.

With rumors of Kyrie Irving taking his talents to the Brooklyn Nets, D’Angelo Russell has emerged as a legitimate option for the Knicks beyond Irving and Kemba Walker.

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett is a must draft, Coach K reaffirms talents

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New York Knicks, Duke, RJ Barrett

The New York Knicks hold the 3rd overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft which will commence on Thursday, and after fending off the Atlanta Hawks, they’re in a position to select a true building block.

Duke star RJ Barrett was the consensus No. 1 pick before Zion Williamson took college basketball by storm, but his talents shouldn’t be overlooked.

The almighty “Coach K” has advocated for the star player, stating:

“RJ will flourish here in New York,’’ Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said on his SiriusXM on Tuesday. “He wants to be here. He is so mature. He just turned 19 last Friday, but he’s been a part of the Canadian basketball program since [he was] a little guy, always played up.”

At just 19 years-old, Barrett is in a great position to develop his abilities and mature in a city that doesn’t sleep on tearing players apart in the media. He has the intangibles traits to brush off the criticism and begin convincing New York he can be the star they need for the next decade.

The 6-foot-7 swingman will be an elite presence on the court alongside Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, and hopefully a max-contract player or two. He’s a part of the future for the Knicks or at least should be, considering his capabilities and potential at the professional level.

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Coach K further said in regards to the Duke product:

“This kid is a multi-dimensional player,’’ Krzyzewski said. “He would start right away. He has the potential to be a double-double guy. He’s a great defensive rebounder, and if he gets the defensive rebound he can push, and he can play one through four. Because he can pass, too. As he grows, there’ll be times in this kid’s career where the triple-double will happen more than once. He’s a star. There’s no question. Beautiful, beautiful kid.”

Coming from one of the best coaches in the history of college basketball, it’s fair to say his opinion is held in great regard. There’s little doubt the Knicks will take Barrett with their first-round selection because if they don’t, the fan-base might riot Steve Mills and Scott Perry out of the front office.

New York Knicks should focus on building around RJ Barrett first and foremost

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New York Knicks, Duke, RJ Barrett

One of the most polarizing scorers in college basketball, Duke star RJ Barrett will, in all likeliness, be bringing his talents to the New York Knicks next season.

Despite the rumors indicating the Knicks will pursue several high-profile free agents with plenty of cap space, their youth agenda should be prioritized, especially when it comes to Barrett. Building around him and his lethal style of play will, probability wise, end up being the route they take.

Adding a superstar like Kevin Durant is very possible, and more than welcomed, but the reality is, there are other teams more suited to win now than continue on towards a full-rebuild.

The focus needs to be on Barrett and what he brings to New York. At the forefront is his elite confidence – Kobe Bryant-style mentality that believes he’s better than the player in front of him. He is looking to embarrass them at every turn.

The New York Knicks are headed in the right direction if they pick RJ Barrett:

“This kid is like a real 1988 New Yorker. He’s not some 2016 Instagram model. He’s trying to kill you,” Barrett’s youth coach Dwayne Washington stated (The Knicks Blog). “He is what people say New Yorkers are supposed to be — aggressive, determined, confident and always pushing the envelope. That’s how you get to greatness.”

Quietly building a case for himself behind Zion Williamson, Barrett earned impressive statistics – 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Without Zion taking the spotlight, RJ would’ve likely been the 1st overall pick in the draft.

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A superstar will only benefit Barrett in New York:

The fact of the matter is, Barrett will need a star player to help him develop at his own pace. He won’t be able to come to the vicious media-driven spektical of New York and shine with ease, there will be a learning curve he needs to overcome. However, he has tangible and intangibles skills to eventually develop into the top player for the Knicks, but a veteran mentor that can carry the load early on is necessary.

So, while the Knicks need to be focused on Barrett and building around him, it’s essential they lure a max-contract player to help him in his growth and ultimate succession of the throne.

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett “this is the place I want to be”

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The New York Knicks are considering drafting RJ Barrett with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

The New York Knicks are expected to be locked in on Duke star RJ Barrett with the 3rd overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft. After missing out on Zion Williamson, one of the most polarizing players entering the league, the next best bet was Barret, who will be an instant play-maker.

Barrett scheduled only one workout – the New York Knicks, stating after:

“This is the pace I want to be.”

The bright lights, The Garden, what’s not to like about the vicious media-driven hell-hole of New York City? Nothing has ever gone wrong here before, has it? I can’t imagine Barrett following in JR Smith’s footsteps and going clubbing after every game, but the Big Apple does strange things to people and players alike.

However, adding a talent like RJ to the roster would be impactful. His abilities on the court, offensively and defensively, present immense value for a team that lacks true star talent.

In fact, most think, on any other team, Barrett would have been so good he could’ve been the No. 1 pick. He likely would have been given Zion didn’t take over college basketball on a national stage.

He averaged 22.6 points-per-game on a team that centered their offense around Williamson.

At this point, it’s almost a guarantee that Barrett will take his talents to New York, given the Knicks don’t trade away their pick in favor of Anthony Davis or another superstar. With $73 million in cap space opening up, the team could have a completely different look come next season, and that would be a very good thing.