R.J. Barrett

R.J. Barrett, Canada, SG/SF, Class of 2019, Uncommitted, 16.8 Strengths
-Tremendous physical profile for his age. Developed, yet still has quite a bit of room to fill out. Wide shoulders. Long arms with a 6' 10 wingspan. Measured 6' 6.5 in shoes.
-Good athlete who is a tough cover in transition thanks to his long strides. Puts pressure on the rim. Not afraid of contact.
-Not afraid of the moment. Was rarely underwhelmed by the fact that he was by far the youngest player in attendance. Plays with a level of confidence rare for his age.
-Herky-jerky style of play. Makes an effort to play at different speeds and change directions, although he can do so with more force. Uses his long strides to step around help defenders and his length to finish from different angles. Uses scoop shots. At his best as a straight line slasher either in transition or the half court. Can mix in an occasional in and out crossover.
-Impressive passer when he's dialed in, especially in the open floor. Can hit rim runners in stride or drop it off to bigs around the rim with great timing. Capable of playing out of pick and roll and hitting the diver. Career 3.2 assists per 40.
-Capable spot shooter with time and space. Game shooter. Struggled in drills but found a way to make shots when the lights came on. Low release point, but gets solid rotation. Lifetime 38.5 3P% on 39 attempts.
-Tremendous defensive potential thanks to his frame, length and instincts. Solid feet on the ball. Uses his length in the passing lanes when he's locked in.
-Impressive overall versatility for his age given his tools, slashing ability, playmaking potential, and occasional shot making.Weaknesses
-Excellent upper body but thin lower body. Legs are a bit bowed out. 
-Didn't look as explosive as he has in the past. Was slightly hampered by a lower extremity injury - had come straight from Dick's Nationals where he reportedly hurt his knee. Moves in a bit of a herky jerky fashion. Has yet to reach his athletic potential?
-Struggled a bit to get by long athletes thanks to his so-so burst (maybe due to injury) and very raw handle - loose, away from his body. Makes an effort to change speeds but doesn't do so with much force. Left hand dominant at this stage.
-Not as explosive around the rim in traffic as he is in space. Relies more on his length and ability to finish from different angles than pure explosiveness. Has shown he has a higher degree of explosiveness in the past
-Very streaky shooter. Low release point, off hand involvement, set shot even on the move, wrist action is a little loose. Career 57.5% from the free throw line (92 attempts). Struggles to create separation and get to his jumper off the bounce without time and space, because of the nature of his release.
-Decision making comes and goes. Can really pass but has his questionable moments. Will force up contested threes or wild floaters early in the clock.
-Defensive intensity comes and goes, especially off the ball. Gets caught sleeping.
-Not all that vocal on the court. Tends to look a bit uninterested at times.Outlook
Barrett wasn't at his best after a long stretch of games, but he was still able to show his impressive physical profile, gamer mentality, slashing ability, court vision and shot making with time and space. His comfort-level at age 16 was quite impressive. With that said, Barrett was a bit up and down in terms of his ability to create in the half court, make shots off the dribble, finish vs length, and make good decisions consistently. Barrett's overall skill set could still use some polishing if he's to live up to the expectations he's been able to create with his unbelievable play at the 2015 U16 FIBA Americas, 2016 U17 Worlds, 2016 Jordan Brand International and NBA Basketball Without Borders Global Camp. At the ripe age of 16, Barrett was still far and away the best long term prospect on the World Team and showed enough to validate his current status as a prospect. 

Elite high school prospect R.J. Barrett sits down for an interview at the 2017 Nike Hoop Summit. Included are highlights from the practices and scrimmages from throughout the week in Portland.

An interview with elite prospect a potential future first overall pick R.J. Barrett at the Nike Hoop Summit practices in Portland, Oregon.Interview

 R.J. Barrett's measurements came in consistent with the marks recorded at this year's Basketball Without Borders event held at the All-Star Game in New Orleans.  A prototypical physical specimen for the shooting guard positions at 6'6.5 with a 6'10 wingspan and a 193-pound frame, it will be interesting to see how the gifted 16 year old develops physically in the coming seasons. 

R.J. Barrett, 6'8, SG/SF, Montverde Academy, Canada, 2000

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Has an ideal frame for a NBA wing prospect. High, narrow hips. Will continue to get bigger/stronger as he matures physically
-Seems to be growing still. Measured 6'6 ½ without shoes, with a 6'10 wingspan. Up to 190 pounds now. Fairly big hands
-Has natural athleticism with tremendous quickness, flexibility and an ability to change speeds and contort his body that can't be taught. Glides all over the floor smoothly.
-Will wow you at times with his explosiveness. Can throw down from impressive vantage points
-Instinctive with his ability to create shots off the bounce. Has tremendous body control, footwork and shake operating off the dribble.
-Not afraid to attack the paint aggressively and draw fouls. Embraces contact and wants to finish everything emphatically. Draws tons of free throws in the process
-Very polished with his spin moves and ability to rise up for pull-up jumpers in the mid-range. Can elevate coming off a screen or dribble hand-off
-Has a feel for creating for teammates as well. Not selfish. Good court vision finding guys off the dribble
-Can make a 3-pointer, albeit inconsistently. Jump-shot isn't broke.
-Competitive player who has a bit of a chip on his shoulder. Plays with a distinctly high energy level. Shows some toughness defensively when called upon. Will get in a stance and move his feet. Will talk some trash at times



Weaknesses:
-Legs are on the thin side. Still has work to do on his frame, but at age 16 he has plenty of time
-Jump-shot is a work in progress. Mostly a 2-point shooter at this point. Low release point and locked elbow on release are things he needs to clean up to reach his full potential as a shooter
-Takes a lot of tough pull-ups in the mid-range
-Can get a little too cute with his finishes around the basket at times, can't always finish everything he creates
-Defensive intensity fluctuates
-Knows how good he is and will rub people the wrong way at times with his demeanor.

Outlook: Barrett was far and away the best prospect here, and has to be considered one of the top prospects in all of high school basketball. His combination of physical tools, shot-creation talent, court vision, feel for the game and flashes of defense and shooting potential give him an incredibly high ceiling. Something surprising would have to happen for him not to emerge as the #1 player in his high school class. He's old enough to be part of the 2018 class (and potentially the 2019 NBA Draft) but for now is on track to graduate high school in 2019.

-The headliner of this year's event will be R.J. Barrett, the son of long-time pro and Canadian National Team standout Rowan Barrett. A sophomore at Montverde Academy hailing from Toronto, Barrett wowed scouts with a sensational performance playing up a year at the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championships in Zaragoza averaging 18.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists over 25.7 minutes per game.

An outstanding physical specimen already with great size, long arms, and terrific athleticism, Barrett looks the part of an elite wing prospect on first glance at just 16 years old. A powerful slasher who flashes outstanding body control as a finisher, and unselfish passing ability, Barrett has a promising skill set, the improvement of which NBA scouts will be keeping a close eye on here. If Barrett can demonstrate improved shot making ability from the perimeter and a bit more creativity off the dribble and around the rim while playing his normally terrific defense, the lefty will build on the momentum he's already garnered as one of the top prospects in high school basketball.

R.J. Barrett, 6'7, Shooting Guard, Montverde Academy, 2000



Strengths
-Ideal physical attributes for a wing. Excellent size. Tremendous frame. Long arms. Big hands
-Fluid athlete with outstanding body control
-Can make shots both with feet set and off the dribble. Release point isn't ideal, but ball comes out of hand relatively nice with time and space. Good shot preparation before the catch
-15/39 for 3 (39%) in 13 games in DX database thus far
-Relentless slasher. Has an innate sense for weaving through traffic and getting to the front of the rim
-Knows how to use his body to initiate contact. Gets to the free throw line at a great rate
-A force in transition. Very difficult to stay in front of with a head of steam
-Comfortable operating out of ball screens. Changes gears powerfully
-Has some ability to drive and dish creatively
-Has tremendous potential defensively. Already displays a solid energy level on that end of the floor
-Plays with great confidence considering he turned 16 just a few days prior to the event.
-Aggressive scorer who is willing to carry the load offensively. 26.2 points per-40 career

Weaknesses
-Still working on the consistency of his 3-point shot. Has a low release point on his jumper which makes it easier for opponents to contest. Elbow is a little rigid. Jump-shot mechanics can hopefully become more fluid in time. Doesn't shoot it the same way every time at the moment
-Lacks a degree of creativity and touch around the basket with his finishes. Not always able to convert the looks he creates for himself. Has good, not great explosiveness vertically
-A little left hand dominant, especially with his finishes. Uses his left hand on the right side of the basket
-Struggles at the free throw line. 58% career. 60% in Zaragoza
-Doesn't have much of an in-between game at this stage. Needs to force his way all the way to the rim in the half-court at times, as he doesn't display much willingness to pull-up off the dribble when the defense cuts off his driving angles
-Developing his vision off the dribble, especially in tight spaces, will be the next stage in his evolution as a shot-creator in the half-court
-A little quiet on the floor

Outlook Lefty wing who is considered by many to be the best player in his high school class in North America. Has done nothing to discourage that in the multiple times we've seen him the past few months (Dick's Sporting Goods Invitational, Jordan Brand Classic International game, U17s). Finished 9th in PER at the event, despite being 12-18 months younger than many of the players he faced.

Interviews and Highlights from the U17s

#6) R.J. Barrett, 6'6, Shooting Guard, 16.0 years old, Canada

EWA: 1.6
PER: 28.8
TS%: 57.3%
18.4 PTS, 4.6 REB, 2.3 AST, .7 STL, .9 BLK, 7-20 3P, 40-67 FT, 49.4 FG%

Only turning 16 years old a few days prior to the event, Barrett was arguably the most intriguing pro prospect in Zaragoza. At 6'7 with good length, and fluid athletic ability Barrett has all the physical tools to get to the next level as his frame continues to fill out. He shows impressive ball handling and vision for a player his age and size, as Barrett looked comfortable in ball screen situations, whipping the ball across the court or delivering touch passes. He plays under control and with tempo, and uses a variety of dribble moves to get to the basket, where he can finish with floaters or above the rim, although at this point he is a predominantly left handed finisher.

The mechanics on his jump shot are still a work in progress, but he showed the ability to knock down spot up shots or create space off the dribble. He was at his best in transition, getting out in the open court and using his size, athleticism, and body control to finish effectively around the rim. He has the physical tools and lateral quickness to be an influence on the defensive end as long as he is locked in.

At just 16 years old, Barrett has serious upside and certainly looks to have high-level NBA potential. Barrett is only heading into his sophomore season at Montverde Academy in Florida and won't graduate high school until 2019. He will continue to be a major piece for Canada basketball as he grows and develops as a pro prospect.

R.J. Barrett , 6-7 SG/SF, Montverde Academy, Canada, 2000

Strengths:
-Elite physical tools for a 15-year-old wing. 6-7 with good length, big hands, and a nice frame that will continue to fill out.
-Fluid athlete who can play above the rim in space. Long strides. Impressive body control. Tremendous in transition.
-Extremely polished offensively for his age.
-Comfortable playing on or off the ball. Uses in and out dribbles and crossovers out of ball screens. Plays with good pace.
-Can handle contact around the rim. Makes floaters with range.
-Not a non-shooter. Gets good rise on his pull ups. Has touch, just lacks consistent mechanics.
-Outstanding court vision for a wing. Very willing passer. Delivers the ball from different angles. Mixes in bounce passes with spin on the ball. Plays with some creativity. Can pass with either hand. Throws lobs. Facilitates in transition and the half court.
-Has the tools to lock down defensively. Quick feet, covers ground quickly, can get over the top of ball screens.

Weaknesses:
-Very streaky shooter at this stage. Elbow a bit locked. Doesn't come out of his hand the same every time. Inconsistent landing spot.
-Left-hand dominant as a slasher and around the rim.
-Gifted passer but can get a bit wild, forcing passes and going for the homerun play.
-Defensive effort comes and goes.

Outlook: Barrett is a high-level prospect who's both polished and full of long-term upside given his physical profile. He can play on or off the ball, score or facilitate, and make plays on the defensive end with his size, length and quickness. In a group featuring at least a handful of NBA prospects, Barrett stood out as the clear-cut top player both in practices and games. While he's still only 15 years old, Barrett has all of the makings of an elite NBA prospect.