New York Knicks power forward Bobby Portis says he loves rookie small forward RJ Barrett's “competitive edge and upside.”
The Knicks selected Barrett with the third overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. New York has surrounded Barrett with tough-minded veterans who know what it takes to win and won't be afraid to call the youngster out if he's not competing.
Those veterans are Portis, Taj Gibson, Julius Randle, Wayne Ellington, Reggie Bullock, Elfrid Payton and Marcus Morris.
“I love his competitive edge and his upside,” Portis told Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Heavy. “He’s going to be a great player in the league. It’s about the experience. He’s just going to go out there and leave it on the line.”
At Duke, RJ Barrett averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 45.4 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from beyond the arc and 66.5 percent from the free-throw line.
The Knicks can’t expect RJ to be an efficient scorer right away in the NBA. It will take a few years for that to happen.
Bobby Portis is a fierce competitor who plays with a lot of passion. If for some reason Barrett doesn't have the motor to go on a particular night, all he'll have to do is watch Portis play to get inspired.
The Knicks believe Portis, Gibson, Randle and Morris will show the proper tough love Barrett needs to be successful in the NBA at the small forward spot.
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