Duke basketball: Ranking all 27 Blue Devils in the NBA this season
By Matt Giles
Ranking Duke basketball’s NBA players this season: No. 5 RJ Barrett
- Age: 20
- Current team: New York Knicks (35-28)
- Games played this season: 63
- Games started: 63
- Season averages: 17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.3 blocks
- Shooting percentages: 44.9 from the field, 39.0 beyond the arc, 74.2 from the foul line
Granted, RJ Barrett has a lot of work to do before cracking the top four on this list. Yet the growth of his NBA game from his rookie campaign signals he’s on his way to eventually doing so.
The former top overall recruit in 2018, who starred in Durham alongside fellow one-and-done Blue Devil Zion Williamson, is now a reliable shooter from deep. Furthermore, he has cut down on his turnovers per game despite averaging almost five more minutes than he did last season.
Besides, it’s worth pointing out here that the 6-foot-6, 215-pound Canadian shooting guard is an integral component to a New York Knicks team that sits No. 4 in the Eastern Conference standings and is on track to enjoy the franchise’s first winning season since 2013.
And Barrett hasn’t missed a single game.