The New York Knicks have an extremely passionate fanbase, and there’s a reason that many people claim their arena, Madison Square Garden, is the mecca of basketball. However, not everyone can play for the New York Knicks.
The media presence and fanbase can sometimes be negatives for players on the Knicks. We’ve seen Knicks players receive boos before. Gilbert Arenas once even claimed that nobody wants to play for the Knicks due to them having the “worst fanbase” in the league.
With that in mind, there are some people that do play well in New York. RJ Barrett is a solid two-way wing, who is currently averaging 17.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 2.5 APG, while playing spectacular perimeter defense. In fact, he has even drawn praise from LeBron James for being able to play in the New York atmosphere. Stefan Bondy of New York Daily News relayed James’ words.
So, I’ve been knowing him quite a while. I followed him throughout those last few years of high school and obviously off to Duke and now as a Knick. So, he’s young, and you’re gonna have your bumps and bruises throughout the course of your career. When you’re young, you’re figuring out the game; you’re figuring out the speed; you’re figuring out the tempo and things of that nature. But I think he’s handled it extremely well, especially being in New York — it’s a different light and a different heat when you play for the Knicks, and I think he’s handled it extremely well.
There is no question that RJ Barrett has a promising future. While his averages for the season are unassuming, he has been averaging 22.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 3.2 APG since January 1st.
Hopefully, we see RJ Barrett develop into a special player. He clearly has another level he can get to, but now, he has to show it more consistently. RJ Barrett once claimed that he’s destined for greatness, so perhaps we’re seeing some of that now.
