Star-J Barrett: The All-Star Case for RJ Barrett

RJ Barrett is a budding star for the New York Knicks coming off a career season last year. Here’s why the Canadian forward is going to be an All-Star in the 2022 season.

Last year, RJ Barrett averaged 20 points, 5.8 assists, and 3 boards. Twenty points per game puts him in the top 6% in the league in scoring, with less than 30 players reaching that mark in the 2021 season. Barrett’s points-per-game has steadily increased every year in the league - starting from 14.3 ppg his rookie year. There’s no reason to expect his scoring numbers won’t take another leap this year.

There’s further evidence to this theory as well. Post-All-Star break, Barrett averaged 24.5 points. This number would’ve put the Knicks’ forward at 11th in the NBA in scoring last year. If Barrett can become a more consistent player, he averaged only 18 ppg pre-All-Star break, he should be able to crack the top 15 in scoring in the association - maybe even the top 10. 

All top 12 players in scoring last year were named NBA All-Stars. If Barrett can crack into that list, he should follow suit.

However, as mentioned earlier, Barrett’s consistency has been an issue, evidenced by the 6.5-point difference in his ppg pre and post-All-star break. It seems though there is evidence he might have remedied this issue in the preseason games.

Throughout these games, Barrett averaged around 20 points. While only a small four-game sample size, he did not have a game where he scored less than 18 points. For example, in the month of December alone last year, had a four-game stretch where he scored less than 10 points 3 out of 4 times. 

Another issue that seems to be on the mend through four preseason games is Barrett’s efficiency. By far the biggest criticism of his game is his inefficient scoring; however, that poor shooting might be a thing of the past. In the preseason Barrett averaged 48% overall from the field and shot a blistering 50% from behind the arc. 

Last year the Knicks’ forward only averaged 40.8% from the field and 34.2% from three. His pre-season numbers are a massive leap from these below-average percentages he turned in last season. It’s only 4 preseason games, but these are good signs that point toward Barrett becoming a more efficient scorer.

That efficiency needs to be there for Barrett to make the leap to All-Star status. Yet, based on his post-All-Star stats, where he shot a league average of 35% from 3, and this year's preseason games, I’m confident that he’ll turn around the notion that he’s an inefficient player. I don’t expect him to continue shooting 50% from behind the arc, but the stats point towards him being above average from downtown.

Barrett said after signing a 4-year $120 million contract that he’s “trying to be the man now”. I believe that he has the talent, mindset, and, now playing with the best point guard he’s had in Jalen Brunson, the teammates to elevate him. If RJ Barrett can become a more consistent and efficient player, and all signs point toward he can, the sky's the limit for the up-and-coming Knick.