Masai Ujiri told a curious anecdote about RJ Barrett when he was just a teenager. And his father, a Canadian basketball star, sometimes took him to Raptors games where they met a talented manager who would be the talk of the NBA.
«Every time I took him to a game, he brought him to me. On each occasion,” Masai Ujiri told the newspaper NY Post. «He told me: ‘Here is my son. He loves basketball. Please tell him something.’ Every time », he explained.
Barrett was the Knicks’ highest draft pick since they took No. 1 with Patrick Ewing. A career with numerous ups and downs and perhaps he has found the ideal place in his native Toronto.
«What do I think of him? If he can he grow? Absolutely. He’s 23 years old, and I think sometimes young players find themselves in those situations. And to be honest, sometimes at the beginning of their careers they are not in the right place. We hope that it was like that with him and he can be better,” he highlighted.
Maybe the leader is right. Both Barrett and his teammate Immanuel Quickley have adapted wonderfully in their first ten games with the Raptors. Barrett is improving in his percentages, and Quickley is taking on stripes as a starter, which he craved so much in New York that he couldn’t do with Brunson by his side.
More NBAGiannis Antetokounmpo after playing against Wembanyama: “I’ve never seen anything like him”
Barrett had just shot 42% from the field and just 30% from three with the Knicks. And since he’s been a Raptor he’s gone up to 55% and 40% respectively.
«It’s a different system so you get a different look. So I think I’ve been doing a great job capitalizing on offense,” Barrett acknowledged.
There are plenty of words for Quickley. He wanted to shine, and Thibodeau did not give him more than 25 minutes per game except on rare occasions. Erik Spoelstra was amazed at his confrontation last Wednesday: «This was probably very stimulating for him. “We are facing a very dangerous player who is very infamous.”
Precisely in the victory against Miami, who dominated by up to 37, Quickley came out very comfortably: 17 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds to his name.
But not everything that glitters is gold. Meanwhile, the Knicks have hit the nail on the head and are 8-2 since Anunoby’s transfer. The Raptors, quite the opposite. They have just one win in six games before facing the Knicks tonight at Madison Square Garden.
“I would say that RJ (Barrett) has already established himself here, and the real opportunity is for Quickley,” commented his teammate Gary Trent Jr. “We are working with him. “They have every opportunity to go out there and play hard,” he added.
Reunion in the Garden
The Raptors are already in the Big Apple waiting to face each other this coming morning starting at 01:30 Spanish time. It will be the reunion of Quickley and Barrett with the demanding fans Knickerbockerand incidentally it will also be that of Anunoby against his former team.
More NBAGiannis Antetokounmpo after playing against Wembanyama: “I’ve never seen anything like him”
«I know them. They know me. It’s going to be a very fun night,” Barrett acknowledged. «The truth is that they have been playing very well. “The transfer has worked very well for both parties,” she said.
Both players do not expect any doubts. Much loved by New York fans, they expect a great reception on their return to the legendary Garden. Will it be revenge for them?
(Cover photo: Cole Burston/Getty Images)
2024-01-20 11:00:00
#Barrett #Quickley #place
