The New York Knicks point guard of the future is called RJ Barrett

The current season of the New York Knicks had a very different planned script than the one that finally happened over the weeks. Of Julius Randle who was All-NBA there is hardly a shadow left, the defense that in the past was elite today is part of the average and the successful signings of Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker now look like the opposite. Among all this list of frustrated expectations, perhaps the only thing that can be salvaged is being RJ Barrett, an oasis of hope in a pessimistic Madison Square Garden.

And it is that the Canadian has assumed his responsibility as a fundamental part of the project regardless of the results. Of the last fifteen meetings the Knicks have barely won three and of the last twenty, only twelve. A period that has meant the end of the campaign for Tom Thibodeau’s men, calling into question the plan started in the heat of last season’s success practically before it started. 

In this slide to the bottom of the standings in which the Knicks sit in 12th place and four games out of the Play-In zone, RJ Barrett has found a way to capitalize on a less than pleasant situation. The Canadian is taking his game to the next level, but without making much noise, taking small steps that, in his case, are giant, and at the same time confirming everything that was expected of him since his high school years. 

With the size of a center and the physique of a forward, the sum of these products made it easy to see in Barrett a player who would act as game director in the future. At the age of 16 he was called up to compete with the U17 team in a World Cup in which he finished as the sixth highest scorer with 18.4 points and leaving games to remember and at 18 he made his debut with the Canadian first team taking silver in the Commonwealth Games.

The easy thing would have been to let Barrett grow into a mold where he was simply an executor and eventually became a versatile scorer. But the Toronto native’s engine has always been progression, fueled by a prone family environment. Upon his arrival at the Knicks in a very dysfunctional and unfavorable context in sports , David Fizdale tried to put the rookie in situations where he could be a playmaker. The problem is that he was not yet ready, not for the challenge, but to perform in the professional world. Time has been the best ally for a Barrett who has been growing month after month, learning from his mistakes, being inconsistent and irregular, but always in a constant ascending line.

Until he reaches a point where he is more than ready to become  the New York Knicks’ de facto  game manager and point guard. With Barrett as the axis of the game, the possibilities for the project’s growth are practically endless, not only because of his youth and abilities, but also because his vision of the game has nothing to envy to that of other figures in his age range. 

The losing streak for Thibs’ side, the loss of Derrick Rose and Randle’s poor season have made it absolutely necessary for the 21-year-old to take on a greater degree of responsibility in the creative phase on the ball. The way to carry it out has been direct blocking, the fundamental pillar of the Knicks’ offensive system, and what he has gone through has been the player who benefits the most from this type of action. Not only that, but he has finally found a way to be efficient as an attacking forward, both to score and to pass the ball.

RJ Barrett’s evolution in direct blocking

In general terms, irregularity takes its toll on him, ranking in the 41st percentile according to NBA Stats as a direct block manager, but since the beginning of 2022 his impact in this type of situation has been exceptional. Something that in the month of February has reached a higher level, having a very high volume of use and touching the point for possession of effectiveness.

It’s not just that he performs well, but Barrett proves to have a very varied and useful skill set, able to modulate his ball speed, launch angles and bounce heights. Technique always plays a fundamental role when performing at a high level in the NBA, but it is the application and tactical use that makes the difference between a good and a great player. The Canadian is starting to read and react to the different types of defense thrown at him, performing magnificently, just watch him play against such aggressive approaches:

After a double drag sequence (two direct blocks in a row) in which Danny Green passes him from behind, the Canadian waits for his rival to pair up again and plays a reblock with Jericho Sims in which the Sixers player looks forced to chain efforts. By going over him this time, Barrett holds him on his back, thus preventing him from conditioning his way to the rim, changing direction at just the right moment to launch a bomb that ends up going in.

Same party, identical situation and different defenders . This time they are the two best from Philadelphia, Embiid and Thybulle, who with the same approach force him into a more complex situation. Here Barrett resolves to hold the ball until he can release his follower, in this case Mitchell Robinson, to hit a highly effective basket.

But not only does Barrett survive from two-for-two actions, but he is also managing to integrate third parties and being able to read on the fly. The latter is invaluable for the Knicks considering how precarious their offensive system is, sometimes lacking in creativity and too constrained to marked plays.

The Canadian is a breath of fresh air for a team immersed in a negative dynamic and with its sights set on the lottery and next year.

On paper, Barrett hasn’t played a single minute as a point guard , which doesn’t mean he’s not being the true director of play for these New York Knicks . Time is the best guarantee for the Canadian who is exploring a facet and a role that fit perfectly with who he is and who he wants to be. 

As he reads defenses better and his shot progresses his offense has gotten better. You can see that his confidence has been growing. I often think experience is the best teacher and he has gained a lot from his experiences. Trial and error is a big part of learning, so I think now he’s starting to understand how to attack. — Tom Thibodeau