The growth of RJ Barrett is extremely important to the New York Knicks’ plans during the 2021–22 season. Barrett took an astronomical leap in his sophomore campaign at just 20-years-old, averaging 17.6 points, 3.0 assists, and 5.8 rebounds. He posted a 44% field goal percentage and connected on 40% of his three-point shots. Most of his scoring statistics saw a fantastic uptick, and the Knicks are hoping he can continue to improve upon those numbers.
To start the pre-season, Barrett posted a healthy 17 points on 50% shooting from the field and 50% shooting from three-point range. Against the Washington Wizards this past Saturday, he tallied 18 points, connecting on 4-of-8 shots from beyond on the arc. He also contributed four assists, utilizing his vision as a facilitator to get his teammates the ball.
While some underrate a strong Knicks team with plenty of depth, RJ expressed confidence on Tuesday that everybody should see this team coming.
“Doesn’t matter, we’re all about the Knicks. The Knicks will never be a under the radar team.”
“When you have Kemba driving the ball, people are going to pay attention. When you have Julius or Evan driving, people are going to pay attention. Oftentimes, they’re going to leave me out there.”