The New York Knicks showed love to RJ Barrett with a tribute video in his return to Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
Barrett took the floor in Madison Square Garden for the first time since being traded to the Toronto Raptors alongside Immanuel Quickley in a deal centered around O.G. Anunoby and was showered with appreciation from the fans as his best highlights were put on display:
After the game, Barrett admitted that the tribute video was a pleasant final gesture from the organization while briefly reminiscing on his high moments with the Knicks, saying:
“It was amazing,” Barrett said. “Thank you to the fans. We got a tribute video. Didn’t think we’d get that. Very appreciative of my time here. Had a lot of emotions. It was fun to play basketball again here.”
Knicks: RJ Barrett’s Scoring Came in a Variety of Electrifying Ways
Barrett established himself as a legitimate scoring threat in his four-and-a-half seasons with the Knicks, putting up 18.1 points per game. After the Knicks lost out on the Zion Williamson sweepstakes in the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery, New York embraced Barrett as one of the centerpieces of their future.
The Duke University product put on for the fans at MSG with strong finishes in transition, highlight dunks, and electrifying high-volume three-point shooting.
Barrett made the Knicks‘ fanbase get on their feet when it mattered most, helping the team reach the playoffs in 2021 for the first time in seven seasons, and again in 2023.
Barrett also put his name in the Knicks’ history books, climbing to as high as ninth on the franchise’s three-pointers made list with 498 triples.
The Knicks Paid Tribute to Immanuel Quickley in Like Fashion
The Knicks did not leave out Immanuel Quickley either. The 2023 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Runner-Up was also given a commemorative highlight montage for his sparkplug play off of the Knicks’ bench.
Quickley was among the best bench scorers in basketball while in the orange and blue, and led many Knicks runs with a confident quick trigger from deep.
The foundation that Barrett and Quickley helped lay is still evident as the Knicks enter a new chapter of their championship chase.