The New York Knicks have a new face of the franchise, and his name is RJ Barrett. A billboard is going up in New York with Barrett's face on it, proclaiming the city's love for the rookie:
31st Street is getting a 🔥 makeover… 👀🔜 pic.twitter.com/R1oZPr3hhh
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) August 23, 2019
The Knicks selected the Duke phenom with the third pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, and they have sky-high hopes for him.
Barrett only played one year at Duke and was slightly overshadowed by first overall pick Zion Williamson. It's pretty hard to compete with a guy who is the most-hyped player since LeBron James came out of high school.
Article Continues BelowBarrett was terrific in his own right. In his freshman season, the lefty averaged 22.6 points, 4.3 assists, and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 45.4 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from 3, and 66.5 percent from the line.
Barrett is a natural scorer who is great at getting to the rim and finishing through contact. He has an NBA-ready frame and a basketball IQ that should serve him well in his first year as a pro.
Barrett will have high expectations coming into the NBA, especially after the Knicks failed to acquire a superstar in free agency. All eyes will be on Barrett when he plays at Madison Square Garden. We'll see how the rookie handles all the pressure of playing in the league's biggest market.