Most NBA players have a particular role model they looked up to as a child. A lot of '80s babies hold Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan in the highest regard, while most of the newer generation follows stars like LeBron James or Stephen Curry. While New York Knicks rookie RJ Barrett is a fan of MJ and LeBron, John Starks also played a large role in his love for basketball.
Barrett recently joined Ben Detrick of GQ for a wide-ranging interview. Amid their discussion, Barrett revealed that Starks is one of his favorite players:
“John Starks is one of my favorite players,” Barrett told GQ on an afternoon in late August, showing canny understanding of how passionately local fans lionize cult heroes from the team’s glory days. “To see what the Knicks were able to do in the past, and how the city really got behind them—you want to get back there so badly.”
Most Knicks fans share Barrett's affinity for Starks, as he played a pivotal role in New York's success through the early '90s. The team, which consisted of players like Patrick Ewing, Anthony Mason and Charles Oakley, was known for its physicality, and they gave Jordan's Bulls a run for their money. Oh, and let's not forget about Reggie Miller and the Pacers.
New York selected Barrett with the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft. The 19-year-old played just one season at Duke under head coach Mike Krzyzewski, racking up averages of 22.6 points on 45.4 percent shooting from the field (30.8 percent from beyond the arc), 7.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and just under one steal (0.9).
The Knicks will be looking for improvement in the 2019-20 campaign, as they finished with the worst mark in the Eastern Conference last season (17-65). Hopefully, with Barrett aboard and an offseason to prepare, New York will find its way back into contention.
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