New York Knicks legends and teammates alike have already raved about rookie RJ Barrett, the franchise's No. 3 overall pick this summer. This time it was longtime icon and former scoring champ Bernard King who sung praise for the rookie, along with second-year forward Kevin Knox, who's likely to start alongside him this season.
“It's obvious to me he wants to be an outstanding player. Anytime you have an opportunity to talk to someone who has had tremendous success in basketball or in life, you try glean some thoughts from them. I shared with him the key is hard work,” said King, who visited Knicks camp with fellow Hall of Famer Bill Bradley on Thursday, according to SNY's Ian Begley. “He's a obviously a tremendous talent. He's going to have a great career. He'll continue to grow as any young player would.”
Knox has gotten to see Barrett for a few days now that training camp has started, getting a quick look at his abilities and demeanor.
“He's very confident in himself. Just the way he plays, he knows that he can really get to the basket,” said Knox of Barrett. “He's a really underrated passer. I talk to him here and there. He's a guy who knows he can bounce back. You've got 82 games so I mean one tough game is not going to discourage you the rest of the season. You've got to be able to bounce back in this league because there's so many games. You play four games a week. One tough game is not going to affect you through the whole season.”
Barrett's work ethic and motor remain unquestioned, but scouts have wondered about his perimeter game and his ability to beat defenders off the dribble, especially after being slotted as a shooting guard. Barrett is expected to have his ups and downs as a rookie, but if he possesses the work ethic and the strong mentality King and Knox claim he has in him, it should be only a matter of time before he polishes his rough edges.
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