New York Knicks third overall pick RJ Barrett has gotten off to a slow start in the Las Vegas Summer League after coming in as a highly touted prospect. After a 4-of-18 shooting performance in his Summer League debut, Barrett followed that up with a similarly dreadful 3-of-15 showing in an overtime loss against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night.
The Duke forward canned his very first 3-point attempt at the Thomas & Mack Center at the start of the competition, but then proceeded to miss his next five attempts to fall to a combined 2-of-13 from beyond the arc as the Knicks fell to 0-2 in Summer League.
Barrett already had faced questions about his shot during his lone year in college, also working to tweak his form and release point before taking on the competition. Yet his struggles are more than just mechanics, but a combination of the lack of experience and high pressure that comes with playing at this stage:
“RJ’s figuring it out,’’ Knicks Summer League coach Jud Buechler said of the rookie, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “There’s been a ton of pressure on him, especially the hype of the last game, first game with Zion. He did some great things, bunch of rebounds, a defensive run. His shooting and all that will come. We’re not worried about that. We’re telling him to stay aggressive and it will come around.”
Barrett's teammate, second-rounder Ignas Brazdeikis, stole the show with 30 points in the overtime affair against the Suns. Iggy has faith that Barrett will bounce back from his shooting slump:
“He’s one of the best players I’ve ever seen, so it’s only a matter of time before he starts being himself, getting buckets,’’ said Brazdeikis, who is also Barrett’s teammate on Team Canada. “There’s literally no doubt in my mind and very soon, too.”
Barrett is expected to produce this season, perhaps under more immediate pressure than now-second-year player Kevin Knox, who is also joining him in this Summer League.