Duke Basketball: Fans quickly forgetting that RJ Barrett is a superstar

The NBA Draft Lottery is in the rearview mirror and fans have appear to forget that there is more than one superstar out of the Duke Basketball program projected to go in the Top-3.

The New Orleans Pelicans won the NBA Draft Lottery and despite several rumors and reports, Zion Williamson is not returning to Duke for his sophomore season, nor should he.

However, around the national media and on social media New York Knick fans are distraught that the Knicks didn’t win the lottery, and to a degree they should be, but the player that is coming to the Big Apple with the No. 3 overall pick in no slouch.

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Zion will go No. 1 overall to the Pelicans and all signs point to the Memphis Grizzlies taking Murray State guard Ja Morant at No. 2, which means the Duke superstar R.J. Barrett would “fall” to New York at No. 3.

If you have spent any time since the Lottery, listening to Knicks fans, most notably Stephen A. Smith, or seen any of the back pages on the New York newspapers, the fans and city is distraught that Zion will not be gracing Madison Square Garden.

However, while Zion is the headliner of this draft class, there are players that will go in the Top-10 that fans should take note of, namely Barrett and his other Duke teammate Cam Reddish.

In terms of the Canadian sensation Barrett, fans are acting like he’s a no-name player who just came in off the street despite posting the best freshman season in Duke history and one of the best overall seasons in Duke history, including the performance of Zion Williamson.

Playing in all of Duke’s 38 games, Barrett averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, shooting 45.4% from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range.

Barrett totaled 860 points this season, the most any Duke freshman has scored in a single season and the second most points all time in a single season only behind the 964 points J.J. Redick posted in the 2005-06 season.

The 6-foot-7 forward also notched the first triple double in Duke Basketball history since 2006 when Shelden Williams accomplished the feat. Barrett had 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in 37 minutes with no turnovers.

A consensus All-American, the Jerry West Award Winner, and a proven winner, the Knicks should be thrilled to select R.J. Barrett at No. 3 in June, considering many picked Barrett to go No. 1 overall at the beginning of the season, prior to Zion’s breakout year.

While fans are obsessed with Zion-mania, the fact is still at hand that RJ Barrett is going to be a superstar in the NBA..

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