CBB: R.J. Barrett Is A Rare Breed
I first saw Ben Simmons when he was in his junior year in high school at Montverde Academy in the Dick's Sporting Goods Nationals Tournament title game against Oak Hill. He was the best player on the floor, despite the court being riddled with future college athletes, including Blake Harris, Dwyane Bacon, Noah Dickerson, and Terrence Phillips. I decided to look into the smooth Australian and I quickly became fascinated with his skill. The only other time since that I've seen a player and couldn't help but become addicted to the way he plays, was after the first time I watched R.J. Barrett.
He first came across my radar back in 2016 at the FIBA U-17 World Championships, and I instantly knew that he was going to be something special before he was even 20-years-old. You can see it in the way he plays. He impacts every facet of the game and doesn't take a play off. Barrett has unmatched athleticism and a knack for finding open shooters around him. He was only 16-years-old at the time and averaged 18.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. And then last year he really broke on to the scene in the FIBA U-19 World Cup, where he absolutely destroyed the U.S. in a 99-87 win in the semifinals.
He dropped 38 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists in the victory, against guys like Carsen Edwards, Hamidou Diallo, Cameron Reddish, P.J. Washington, and Brandon McCoy. Barrett was, like Simmons, the best player on the court. He finished the tournament with the MVP award after leading Canada to the title, defeating Italy in the championship game. He led all players with 21.6 points per game. Before the end of the year, he announced that he would be attending Duke University and decided to re-classify to the 2018 class, following the decision by Marvin Bagley III, despite being only 17-years-old.
Barrett immediately jumped Zion Williamson and Reddish for the No. 1 recruit in the class, according to the ESPN 100. But I think all three players will be fine in the long run, as they'll all be sharing the same floor at Duke next season. The Blue Devils have inarguably the best class of the year, and might have the best class of all-time, as the top three players have committed to the program. While Williamson and Reddish are special in their own ways, there is no doubt in my mind that Barrett is the best of the bunch. He has continued to separate himself among his peers, and will have the chance to prove that to the nation this week.
The week leading up to the Final Four is the most noteworthy stretch of six days for any American high school basketball player. On Monday, it's the McDonald's All-American Powerade Jam Fest, which includes the boys and girls three-point shootout and the dunk contest. The following day, the East and West's practice and scrimmages will be aired. We'll have the opportunity to see the best players in the country go at one another, and then on Wednesday, the actual McDonald's All-American Game will be played. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the Dick's Sporting Goods Nationals Tournament will get going.
It's truly a special week for the teenagers who are on the verge of getting their college careers started. People like Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Blake Griffin, Andrew Wiggins, Simmons, and Michael Porter Jr. have used this week as their abrupt welcoming into the national sports world. Barrett has an opportunity to do so, and all he has to do is play his normal game. He has the potential to not only be one of the best players of this class, but to be one of the top players of this generation. Barrett has all of the tools to succeed going forward, and the next week is going to be his greeting to college basketball fans all across the world.
Photo Credit: Daily Hive.
