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Duke Basketball: R.J. Barrett wins the Jerry West Award

By Kevin Connelly

DURHAM, NC - DECEMBER 08: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils goes up for a dunk against the Yale Bulldogs in the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 8, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - DECEMBER 08: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils goes up for a dunk against the Yale Bulldogs in the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 8, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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The Duke Basketball standout guard, R.J. Barrett, won the Jerry West Award as the best shooting guard in the country at the College Basketball Awards.

After one of the best single seasons in the history of the Duke Basketball program, R.J. Barrett took home the first award that was presented at the College Basketball Awards as the winner of the Jerry West Award.

The Jerry West Award is given to the best shooting guard in the country.

Barrett defeated Justin Wright-Foreman of Hofstra, Carsen Edwards of Purdue, Jarrett Culver of Texas Tech, and Kyle Guy of Virginia for the prestigious.

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On the season, R.J. Barrett averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, while shooting 45.4% from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range.

R.J. Barrett has already been named to the All-ACC First Team and as a consensus First Team All-American.

Barrett notched the first triple double in Duke Basketball history since 2006 with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and no turnovers in 37 minutes of action on February 16 against North Carolina State. The last triple-double was achieved by Shelden Williams and Barrett’s feat was only the fourth time a player accomplished the feat.

R.J. Barrett shattered the Duke and ACC freshman scoring records, the only Duke player to score more points in a single season than. Barrett was J.J. Redick when he put up 964 points in 2006.

Playing in all of Duke’s 38 games, Barrett finished with 860 total points.

Barrett has already declared for the 2019 NBA Draft in June, leaving Durham after one season, joining fellow freshman Cam Reddish as the Blue Devils still are waiting on the decision from Zion Williamson, although the expectation is that he will also opt for the NBA.

In many mock drafts, R.J. Barrett is projected as the No. 2 or No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft, behind Zion Williamson and Murray State’s Ja Morant.

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