Stop me if you've heard this before — RJ Barrett has come out of the All-Star break on fire.
Barrett catapulted out of the All-Star break with a purpose in his rookie season that was shortened due to the pandemic, after struggling to find some consistency with his shot in the first half of 2019-20. He did it again last season, surging post-All-Star break to help the Knicks secure home-court advantage in the playoffs.
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This year, under much different circumstances, he's one of the few bright spots in an hugely disappointing Knicks' season.
Since this year's All-Star break in Cleveland, Barrett is averaging 26.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists, placing him in elite company alongside the game's biggest stars.
- He dropped a career-high 46 points against the Miami Heat, one of the NBA's stingiest defenses.
- He poured in 30 against the 76ers, on a night that seemed like there was a lid on the rim for the Knicks.
- He shook off foul trouble and finished with 29 points in a blowout win over the Kings in Sacramento.
His recent scoring bursts have put him in range of finishing the season at or above the 20.0 point per game mark for the first time in his career. And that's right in line with his growth.
In an age where we rush to forget the moment talent doesn't translate right from the jump, it's worth a reminder that Barrett is still only 21 years old. He's had immense pressure resting on his shoulders both from north of the border and in New York as fans impatiently wait for him to turn into the star he was promised to be.
Knicks fans entered the 2019 Draft lottery with visions of Zion Williamson or Ja Morant. The ping pong balls bounced and landed with the Knicks owning the third pick in a two-star draft. Nearly three years later, Barrett is showing all the signs that he is far more than a consolation prize.
Three years into his NBA career, Barrett's right on track.
Coming into the league, many scouting reports questioned Barrett's explosiveness and ability to score over length. In his rookie year, he didn't do much to dispel those claims, as he struggled to finish around size at the rim and seemingly avoided contact and trips to the charity stripe. Now? It all seems like a thing of the past.
Barrett has put the work in in the offseason, becoming a more explosive finisher in the half court and welcoming trips to the free throw line. Barrett has upped his average this season to a career-high 5.3 free throw attempts per game, which is more in line with some of the game's best scorers like Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine and Devin Booker.
Getting to the line regularly has allowed him to find a rhythm and manufacture points when nothing else is working. It's allowed him to be a run stopper when the Knicks are on the wrong side of a quick burst. It's helped punish opposing defenses for paying too much attention to Julius Randle. It's allowed him to show the uber confidence he has in himself and his game.
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“There are steps that you take, and people forget that he’s 21 years old," Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters via the NY Post. "He’s learning, he’s got a great work capacity. He’s done everything we’ve asked of him and he continues to get better. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I think he’s just built that way. So it’s a big plus for us.”
Outside of the foul shooting, Barrett has become savvier on the offensive end. As a rookie, Barrett often rushed to make decisions or would change his mind last minute often leaving his feet to make an awful jump pass. That's slowly becoming a thing of the past and it shows in the way he's been attacking teams off of handoffs.
According to NBA Stats tracking data, Barrett ranked in the 20th percentile in handoff efficiency as a rookie. In his second season, that number was even worse as Barrett ranked in the 16th percentile. This season, Barrett ranks in the 77th percentile, generating 1.05 points per possession.
When you watch the tape, you see the growth in real-time. In a recent game against the Jazz, Barrett displayed his newfound effectiveness in running handoffs.
This play is almost a Barrett cheat code as he comes off multiple screens to accept the handoff on his strong side and powers his way to the rim with a tough finish.
Later in the period, he catches his defender cheating on the handoff and strokes a confident triple.
Later in the game, he comes off the handoff on his weak side, shows patience and finds a pocket for a floater. He doesn't make it, but that's not the point. Rookie Barrett wouldn't have gotten off such a great look.
The Knicks will continue to find ways to get Barrett in favorable spots offensively and that should help him continue to score at a high clip. Barrett will also continue to find ways to improve his game and get an edge as teams look for ways to slow him down.
All in all, the growth we've seen from RJ Barrett since he entered the league is palpable. The ceiling is still high for Barrett. It won't be long before he finally turns into the player he was promised to be.