After a disappointing campaign last season, the New York Knicks entered the summer of 2021 desperate for a change. And while they did make a few notable additions, the Knicks ultimately failed (yet again) to land any true superstars to the team.
Now, they have no choice but to go to war with whom they have, including Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson, and young scorer RJ Barrett.
Barrett still has a lot to prove in the NBA, but he is quickly emerging as a vocal and emotional leader for the ball club. In a message to his critics this week, the young stud went off as he explained that he’s not backing down to anyone.
“Besides the fans, which we do have a lot of fans, everybody else really doesn’t like us,” Barrett said. “Everybody else doesn’t like us. I mean, I don’t know. It’s weird. I’ve gotten respect, but at the same time, there’s a lot of disrespect. But that’s fine. All the guys that they want to put in front of me or whatever, I’m in their heads. So it really doesn’t matter.”
“I wasn’t on the All-Rookie teams but look where I ended up,” RJ Barrett said. “Where are some of those guys, you know what I mean? Do they ever (mention me)?” Barrett shrugged.
Barrett, 22, was drafted 3rd overall by the Knicks in 2019. Since then, he has steadily improved his numbers, leading up to an average of 20 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season.
RJ Barrett Is The Key To Unlocking A Successful Future For The Knicks
His run wasn’t quite good enough to land him on an All-Star team, but it was apparently enough to warrant a huge, $100+ million extension from the Knicks. Clearly, he will be a featured member of the team for a long time coming.
“It feels pretty good. I feel honored and blessed,” said Barrett on his extension. “This is a place where I wanted to be. I was happy they first drafted me and now with the extension, to be here four more years, will be great and I’m just excited to get to work. I love New York. My mom grew up in New York and this is kind of like home to me… I’ll always remember that first playoff game we had and how loud it was. A thing I’ll never forget and hope to get more of that.”
The Knicks may not be on par with teams like the Bucks, Celtics, or even the 76ers. But they don’t have to be there right now.
After showing a glimpse of who they could be two seasons ago, fans are itching for them to return to a state of progress. At this point, even making the playoffs would be a huge step in the right direction.
