Now that was a preseason befitting the No. 3 pick of the 2019 draft.
Everything RJ Barrett worked on during his long pandemic offseason has paid off, especially with a graceful performance from the free-throw line, where he hit 86.7 percent of his tries in four preseason games. It’s a dramatic rise from last season’s bleak 61.4 percent.
“I just got a lot of reps in,’’ Barrett said Sunday on a Zoom call. “It’s definitely something that bothered me from last season. I got a lot of reps. I haven’t done anything yet. I got to continue to be consistent.”
Inefficiency was Barrett’s blemish as a highly touted rookie, and it cost him a spot on the league’s two all-rookie teams.
Now he’s on fire. Though Barrett still is struggling from the 3-point line, he was smooth on mid-range jumpers (3 of 5) and a terror in using his strong body to get to the basket and finishing.
Barrett, whom the Knicks as procedure will opt into the third year of his four-year rookie contract at Monday’s deadline, was 17 of 24 (70 percent) around the rim. Last season his by-the-rim percentage was in the low 50’s.
“He gets to the paint and has confidence,’’ one NBA scout said. “Those crafty lefties make it look easy.’’
After working with his trainer in Southern California, Barrett said he’s tinkered with shot technique, moving his right hand more to the side of the ball to get a more fluid release.
“I was working with Drew Hanlen over the summer, we changed it up a little bit, tweaked a couple of things,’’ Barrett said. “It’s been good so far. We’ve just got to keep working on it, get reps.”
There were rumblings the Knicks’ previous coaching staff was concerned that Barrett, who wore a pink suit on draft night, was too Hollywood and not enough of a gym rat as a rookie.
There’s a new Kith/Knicks digital advertisement showing Barrett working on his shooting in a late-night session with a security guard falling asleep while waiting for the workout to end. It’s not fictional.
Asked the best part of Barrett’s preseason, coach Tom Thibodeau said, “Probably the way he practiced. He set a great example for everyone. If he continues to work that way he’ll continue to improve.”
The Link LonkDecember 21, 2020 at 06:19AM
https://nypost.com/2020/12/20/rj-barrett-making-it-look-easy-in-promising-knicks-start/
RJ Barrett making it look 'easy' in promising Knicks start - New York Post
https://news.google.com/search?q=easy&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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