New York Knicks: 3 reasons R.J. Barrett was a good pick

By Ryan Piers | Jun 21, 2019

BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 20: RJ Barrett is interviewed after being drafted by the New York Knicks during the 2019 NBA Draft on June 20, 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Ryan McGilloway/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Melanie Fidler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. Barrett compares to the best

You’d be hard pressed to find a player with a better offensive season the Barrett’s last year. Ja Morant led the country in scoring, but he played in the (underrated) Ohio Valley Conference. Brandon Clarke paced the NCAA in offensive win shares and offensive rating, but lacked the versatility of Barrett. And he didn’t play in a power conference.

Barrett was 14th in the nation in points per game last year, but only two of the players ahead of him — CSU Northridge’s Lamine Diane and South Dakota State’s Mike Daum — pulled down more rebounds.

The only players on the top scoring list to best him in assists were Northern Colorado’s Jordan Davis, Morant and Hampton’s Jermaine Morrow. In other words, out of the nation’s best scorers, Barrett was also the best at doing everything else.

Last 4 games, RJ Barrett’s stats have been:

21 points, 7 assists
32 points, 3 rebounds
23 points, 16 rebounds, 9 assists
30 points, 5 rebounds.

No ACC player or rookie of the week honors during that stretch. Most underrated player in the conference.
— Ben Swain (@TheBenSwain) January 21, 2019

Barrett doesn’t just stack up against recent college greats. He probably would have won player of the year in each of the previous seven seasons. Barrett bests all seven of the previous National Player of The Year award winners in at least two of basketball’s main three categories — points, assists and rebounds per game.

Next. Complete 2019 NBA Draft grades for all 30 teams. dark

Quite simply, we haven’t seen a more complete offensive player at a big-name program since Kevin Durant competed for Texas in 2006-07 season. What a great night for New York.

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