R.J. Barrett is the top recruit in the class of 2018 and could make a splash in college basketball. He is down to Kentucky, Duke, and Oregon.
In basketball, only five players can be on the floor for each team at a time. In a game with so few players on the court, one player can make an incredible difference if he is the best player on the floor. In the NCAA Tournament, we have seen dominant forces like Kemba Walker or Stephen Curry play electric ball and carry their teams deep into the tournament.
Because of this, teams are always focused on snagging the best recruits, as they can be the difference between just a Sweet 16 appearance and a possible National Championship.
For Oregon, Kentucky, and Duke, they are close to snagging one of those players.
Initially a member of the class of 2019, R.J. Barrett reclassified in July and became the top recruit in the class of 2018. He has since narrowed his decision down to those three schools: Oregon, Kentucky, and Duke. At 6’6″ and 180 pounds, Barrett is a dangerous wing player with ridiculous potential.
At the FIBA U19 World Cup this summer, Barrett averaged 21.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.6 points per game while playing for Team Canada. In addition, he was a vital part of Canada’s upset victory over the United States. In that game, he dropped a ridiculous 38 points while adding 13 rebounds and five assists.
He is a smooth scoring lefty with a knack for snagging rebounds and being able to run the fast break himself. His ball handling and passing vision are already very solid and the traits are constantly on display when Barrett gets in the open floor.
He has already visited each of these final three schools, but let’s look at the potential fit he has at each.