Duke Basketball: 2019 NBA Draft profile of Blue Devil guard RJ Barrett
By Alex Weber
Player Comparisons
Despite Barrett being a rim-hounding forward with a hint of narcissistic edge, there aren’t a lot of current players he reminds me of. This might sound crazy (probably because it’s cross-racial, which always raises eyebrows) but I can easily envision Barrett as a more athletic post-injury Gordon Hayward. Hayward’s athleticism and jumper were leaps and bounds better during his time with the Utah Jazz, but in this past season as a Celtic (coming off the brutal injury), Hayward served as a secondary playmaker who cut well off-ball and could finish around the rim.
He came off the bench and handled the primary playmaking duties for Brad Stevens’ second unit despite not playing point guard. Hayward was forced into a less athletic and scoring-oriented role due to the injury, but I think the example is there for RJ to replicate–except as a more dominant scorer and healthier athlete. He can curb his selfishness by learning to treat passing and scoring as equals, plus serve as a threat off the ball because of his ability to drive and create open looks for others or simply attack the basket, which he’s already elite at. I think a more naturally gifted and cocky Hayward is a viable path, but that’s not the only player I see in him.
His body control, footwork, and scoring feel inside the arc draw memories of Demar DeRozan. DeRozan pierces defenses with his incredible footwork and elite finishing ability, all while serving as a quasi lead ballhandling and more-than-capable passer off the dribble. With the encouraging mechanics and not totally horrifying percentages, along with the glut of skills I’ve already described, Barrett could absolutely peak as a three-point shooting DeRozan–and that dude was fifth in MVP voting last season, though he was the sacrificial lamb for Toronto’s Finals run.