The New York Knicks may have failed to get Zion Williamson in last Thursday's NBA Draft, but they ended up with arguably the best player in this year's rookie class, RJ Barrett. The Duke University star has already stated that he's gunning for the Rookie of the Year honors. He will be extremely motivated to prove himself.

The expectations for Barrett are extremely high, not only because he's the third overall pick, but also because he will be asked to be the face of the franchise that has been an NBA laughingstock for half a decade. He will be confident.

The question is, how will his confidence affect his game?

He will lead all rookies in scoring

Sorry Knicks fans, but as much as I want Barrett to win Rookie of the Year, I have already given my vote to Zion. Still, I believe RJ will be phenomenal next season. The 6-7 forward averaged 22 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in his last season in the NCAA, so I wouldn't be surprised if he will average 22 points a game in his rookie year in the NBA.

If you've read the scouting reports and mock drafts, most of the experts have said Barrett has an NBA-ready game. He can find and create his own shots by shooting a jumper or driving to the basket. Barrett will have little to no problems scoring in the pros.

Barrett is a volume scorer, and whether that will affect the overall performance of the Knicks remains to be seen. He will get his points, and Knicks fans should be excited about him.

Barrett will be the Knicks' best player

With everything that happened over the past few weeks, the Knicks won't be able to sign Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving this summer. As painful as it is to say, the team will use next season to either tank or prepare for the summer of 2020.

While this could be another year filled with frustrations for Knicks fans, not being able to sign a marquee free agent means Barrett will be the team's best player.

Yes, the Knicks have Dennis Smith Jr., the ninth pick in the 2017 draft who also wants to prove something in the league. Maybe he will be the team's shining star for the first few weeks of the 2019-20 campaign, but once Barrett gains the feel of NBA life, he will be able to take the spotlight away from DSJ or any other Knicks player.

If the Knicks still sign Durant, the two-time MVP is expected to be out for the entirety of next season, which means Barrett will still have the opportunity to develop.

Barrett will have great chemistry with Mitchell Robinson

The Knicks don't have Zion, but they have a promising young big man who could become an elite defender, Mitchell Robinson. He averaged around seven points, six rebounds, and two blocks per game, despite missing the first few months of last season due to injury.

He will have a great year for the Knicks next season.

What does this have to do with RJ Barrett?

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I believe both of them will form one of the most exciting young tandems in the league. The Atlanta Hawks have Trae Young and John Collins. The Phoenix Suns have Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton. The Dallas Mavericks have Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, who are age 23 or below but have already shown flashes of having great chemistry together.

Barrett is just 19 years old, while Robinson is 21. If they form a connection similar to Shaq and Kobe, Knicks fans will definitely have something to be excited about.

What's next for RJ Barrett?

His potential is limitless, but he will not be perfect. Expect him to commit a lot of mistakes but learn from them quickly.

If the Knicks focus on Barrett's development, there's a strong chance he'll live up to the expectations. He may not be the best player in his rookie year, but I am optimistic that he will have an illustrious pro career.