The New York Knicks had a very successful season in 2022-2023, and RJ Barrett specifically took big steps in the NBA Playoffs. A pair of RJ Barrett's former teammates in Theo Pinson and Jared Harper recently claimed that they made Barrett a better player during their time with the Knicks during an episode of the Run Your Race podcast.

“We made him [RJ Barrett] great, we made him a dog,” Theo Pinson said with Jared Harper on the Run Your Race podcast. “We had to get that dog in him, and we were busting his a**. And RJ, we'll get you on here. We could all get three on here and you won't sit on here and lie because I'll knock the s*** out you. We were busting your a** RJ.”

Pinson went on to say that the Knicks' coaching staff wanted Barrett to improve defensively, so they had him work with Pinson and Harper.

“We was like, we don't know if this s*** is going to get him better, this might kill his confidence,” Pinson said on the Run Your Race podcast. “We want smoke, we ain't played all year.”

Barrett's career has been debated a lot since he was selected with the third pick in the 2019 draft, and there have been good and bad moments. However, the majority of Knicks fans are supportive of Barrett, especially after his strong performance in the playoffs this season.

The Knicks hope that Barrett can keep improving. If he does, it seems that Pinson and Harper will keep taking credit for the steps he took early in his career.