New York Knicks: 5 reasons to be excited for 2019-20 NBA season

RJ Barrett

New York selected RJ with the third pick in this year’s draft, placing faith in the one-and-done Duke prospect to lead the team out of its rebuild.

Having played alongside Zion Williamson (who was the consensus first overall pick in the same draft), he was still able to post solid numbers.

He finished the collegiate season with 22.6 points 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, with 45.4 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from 3 and 66.5 percent from the line.

Able to beat his man off the dribble, attack the lane in a multitude of ways and punish smaller defenders on switches, Barrett projects to be a Rookie Of The Year candidate heading into the season.

His transition play is solid, enabling him to draw fouls when driving on 15.9 percent of his drives. A tendency to drive left will need some work though, he ranked in the 98th percentile going left in ISO situations but only the 30th percentile when he went right.

This could lead to a steep learning curve when NBA-level defenses begin to hedge him onto his weaker side, how quickly he can adapt will determine how this year goes for him offensively.

On the defensive end of the floor, Synergy has RJ holding opposing ball handlers to just 0.6 points-per-possession when coming off of pick-and-rolls.

Also capable as a man-to-man defender as he showcased by suffocating opposing players when they went ISO, holding them to 0.6 points-per-possession.

RJ also has a reputation for being a great locker room guy, willing to accept his role on the team for the greater good.

This was showcased by his willingness to defer to both Zion and Cam Reddish during his time at Duke, opting to make the extra pass instead of stuffing his own personal stat line.

The fact that during the draft Zion waited for RJ to be picked, showing true joyousness for his former teammate, should speak volumes about the type of player the Knicks have just drafted.

RJ will inevitably experience some growing pains during his first year of NBA basketball, but with his personality and skill set, he has all the tools required to push for Rookie Of The Year honors. Can he be an All-Star in the near future?

It’s far too early to tell, but for now, he has the keys to New York. What he does with them is the exciting part.