Scottie Barnes has been the NBA's darling as soon as he entered the league. The energetic Toronto Raptors rookie captivated audiences with his bubbly personality and ability to do everything on the court. He has very quickly emerged as one of the Raptors' best, if not the best, players in less than fifteen games.
Because of these, fans are quick to crown Scottie Barnes the Rookie of the Year. When asked about it, the Raptors rookie had this to say: (via Josh Lewenberg)
“It's something that I'm gonna try to win, for sure, but it's not something that I'm trying to chase. I'm just trying to play basketball, win games and do things to contribute on the floor and help this team.”
Scottie Barnes on early Rookie of the Year buzz: "It's something that I'm gonna try to win, for sure, but it's not something that I'm trying to chase. I'm just trying to play basketball, win games and do things to contribute on the floor and help this team."
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) November 19, 2021
This kind of mentality is what enamored Raptors fans to Barnes. Despite his recent performance, the Raptors forward puts winning games over winning the Rookie of the Year award. It's a sentiment backed up by his play, too: the eye test shows Barnes not forcing any shots and playing within the system of the offense. Once he gets a few more years of experience, he'll become a problem for the league.
In the meantime, though, the Raptors are… struggling a little bit. OG Anunoby's injury is a big blow to the team, considering he's both their leading scorer and top defender. Pascal Siakam is also a bit rusty after coming back from injury. That, combined with the Raptors' overall youth, has led to some ugly games.
Despite those losses, though, you can bet Scottie Barnes will do everything he can to carry the team to victory. Who knows? Maybe he'll mess around and give the Raptors their first Rookie of the Year winner since Vince Carter.
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