Three NBA coaches offer their take on RJ Barrett's growth with Toronto Raptors
When the Toronto Raptors traded for RJ Barrett last December, the move was meant to kick-start the young Canadian forward.
The third overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Barrett was still finding his way into the league nearly five years into his career with the New York Knicks. Though the tools of a successful player appeared to be there, Barrett still clearly had some room to grow.
It’s clear to anyone watching that Barrett has been making the most of his first calendar year in Toronto, with the one-year anniversary of the trade coming up on December 30. Barrett has averaged career-best marks of 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 56 games for the Raptors over the course of two seasons while shooting 37.0% on three-pointers compared to 34.2% in New York.
And it’s safe to say that the new-look Barrett has caught the eye of veteran NBA coaches.
“He was a guy that I think probably physically could overwhelm people at the basket throughout most of his career,” Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan said in an interview with Daily Hive on Monday night. “I give him a lot of credit. I think his three-point shooting is drastically improved throughout his career. I think when he gets into the paint, he’s really making good decisions on how to draw fouls and how to get shots up on the glass, and then if he doesn’t have it, [he finds] open [teammates].”
Prior to a recent matchup in Toronto, Oklahoma City Thunder echoed the sentiment of Barrett’s ascension.
“They play with great pace, and that gets him loose in transition as a driver,” Daigneault said. “He’s a kind of a three-level player. I mean, you have to honour him at every level.”
Donovan himself knows the rigours of the New York market well, having played the entirety of his 44-game NBA career for the Knicks in 1987-88.
“He’s way more well-rounded right now as an offensive player than what he was his first year or two in the league,” he added. “You get up to the NBA, there’s an adjustment period where some of those things are a little bit more difficult.”
But while Donovan may have played in the Big Apple several decades back, no coach knows Barrett more than Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who coached him for 241 of his 297 games while with New York.
“We always felt he was going to be a good player. He was a good player for us, and he continues to improve, and that’s a credit to him and the way he works,” Thibodeau said while in Toronto earlier this month. “I think the best thing about young players is the ability to continue to improve. And I think there’s been steady progress throughout his career, and I think as he’s gained experience, he’s added things.”
At age 24, Barrett might still have a few years left to continue growing his game. And while the Raptors may still have a ways to go to join the NBA’s upper echelon of teams, Barrett should expect to be a key part of the franchise if they ever do make that leap once again.
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