Best left-handed Duke basketball players of the past decade

The best Duke basketball lefties of the past decade: RJ Barrett

There is no doubt that RJ Barrett was one of the most skilled and versatile players Duke basketball has had in the past decade. Barrett was the No. 1 prospect coming out of high school and was at the top of every draft board before he even played a collegiate game.

Right from the jump, Barrett wasted no time showing that he was the real deal. He also wasted no time showing his lack of fear when it came to his offensive abilities.

Barrett was the guy the offense ran through and was responsible for carrying the offensive load. In Duke’s first game of the year, Barrett scored 33 points on 13-for-26 shooting from the field. He also showed he could not only generate his own offense but also the offense of others, as he had six assists in that game in which Duke blew the doors off Kentucky.

All season long, Barrett put up absurd NBA-like offensive numbers. His lowest scoring game was 13 points, which for some guys is a career-high. Also, his lowest number of shot attempts in a single game was 12 against Boston College, a game that Duke won in dominating fashion. RJ Barrett was an offensive machine who had natural scoring instincts that most players just don’t have, especially as a freshman.

Barrett finished the year with an average of nearly 23 points per game, the highest mark for a freshman in Duke basketball history. Barrett also led the ACC in 2018-19 in field goals made and field goals attempted. He was always in attack mode and hunting his shot. Barrett certainly wasn’t shy when it came to looking for his own offense, but he was also extremely unselfish, finishing third in the ACC in total assists with 164.

He was a gifted passer but at times was not always a willing passer. Particularly late in games, Barrett was the one with the ball in his hands. Most of the time, Barrett would make good things happen. But at times, he would force it and end up taking a very difficult shot.

Take the Maui Championship game against Gonzaga for example. Barrett scored 23 points and had seven rebounds but shot just 8-for-21 from the field and took some extremely tough shots late in the game, and Duke ended up falling just short.

At times, RJ Barrett did struggle to find consistency and efficiency on offense. He wasn’t a guy you could leave wide open from three, but teams were willing to let Barrett try to beat them with the 3-point shot. When Barrett got downhill and attacked the basket, there was really nothing the defense could do besides foul. He made a living on points in the paint and getting to the foul line.

Also, RJ Barrett was not scared of the big moment. He seemed to embrace the pressure and target on the back that comes with being a Blue Devil. Barrett performed well and made key plays in Duke’s biggest games. He scored 30 points at home to beat Virginia, then went into Charlottesville a couple of weeks later and put up 26 points to help Duke pull out a huge road victory.

Having a guy like Barrett is essential to beating a stifling defensive team like Virginia. Barrett’s ability to create his own shot, make contested shots, and finish through contact made it hard for the Cavaliers to shut him down with their pack-line defense. The pack-line defense thrives on forcing opposing players to take contested shots and keeping guys from easily penetrating into the lane.

In all of Duke basketball history, there are few guys that can score quite like RJ Barrett. He was a near-impossible cover with his diverse skillset. Barrett came to Duke with an NBA ready body and proved that he had the strength and athleticism to be a force at the college level. He really had no weaknesses in his game, as he could do just about everything.

Barrett wasn’t able to bring Duke a national championship, however, but he did help provide Duke basketball fans everywhere with a fun and entertaining season. Barrett was a human highlight reel alongside his running mate Zion Williamson. He helped the Blue Devils win a lot of big games and had some memorable plays and performances that fans will never forget.