"I followed him throughout the last few years of high school and then Duke and as a Knick" - LeBron James reveals that he asked his agent Rich Paul to recruit RJ Barrett
LeBron James has showered praise for New York Knicks' RJ Barrett and revealed that he once asked his agent to recruit him. The 21-year-old has been playing at an extremely high level and many fans have demanded that he deserves to be in the 2022 NBA All-Star team.
The LA Lakers recently beat the New York Knicks 122-115 in an overtime thriller. RJ Barrett tried his best to carry his team to a win but came up short in the dying moments of the game. He dropped 36 points on 13-28 shooting, including 4-10 from beyond the arc, while making some tough clutch shots down the stretch.
LeBron James was asked about Barrett's performance after the game when he revealed that he was expecting to team up with the young stud. He said:
"I've known RJ for quite a while now. I was in Toronto during the summertime and I think he was a high school junior or a senior and it was a call to my agent, Rich [Paul] that there is a kid in Toronto that is possibly next..."
"I was going to the gym to get a workout and they called Rich like 'Could he join?' and I was like absolutely. So I've known him for a quite a while and I followed him throughout the last few years of high school and then Duke and as a Knick."
LeBron praising RJ Barrett & talking about their history together after RJ's career-high 36 points
https://t.co/LxvvBBXBYa
RJ Barrett also dropped eight rebounds, five assists and a steal to go along with his 36 points. He guarded LeBron James that night and although he got taken to task, he asked for the assignment himself. James dropped 29 points, 10 assists and 13 rebounds for his 15th career triple-double after turning 35 years old.
RJ Barrett was taken to school by LeBron James, but the youngster asked for the assignment. The 21-year-old said he sought out the assistant coach in charge of scouting James ahead of their matchup Saturday night in L.A.
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RJ Barrett and Julius Randle combined for 68 points in the loss. The Knicks have had haywire rotations lately and the players haven't had any fixed minutes. Kemba Walker now starts as the point guard but often plays fewer minutes than Alec Burks, who comes off the bench. They have had several players in and out of the lineup and their coach, Tom Thibodeau, is reportedly unhappy with the situation with the team.
They are now 24-29 as the 12th seed in the East and if they continue at this pace, they are not even going to make the play-in tournament. Many players on the team are reportedly on the trade block, including one-time All-Star Julius Randle.
Does RJ Barrett deserve to make the All-Star team?
RJ Barrett was the third overall pick by the New York Knicks in the 2019 NBA Draft and has been with the team since his rookie season. He is currently averaging 17.9 points, 2.5 assists and 5.7 rebounds on 41/35/69 shooting splits. His numbers are lower than last season but he has elevated his level of play.
He has dropped six 30-point games this season and a plethora of 20-point games. Barrett is now considered as one of the fan-favorites in New York and he might be the only one that fans aren't demanding to trade.
Keeping Up With The Canadians 🇨🇦
RJ Barrett | vs. Los Angeles
36 POINTS (CH)
4 THREE POINTERS
8 REBOUNDS
5 ASSISTS
#NewYorkForever | @nyknicks https://t.co/3u8uX0cF9h
He earned fans votes by the New York faithful for the All-Star game, but the media and players apparently didn't give him the nod. He also has the highest jersey sales as a member of the New York Knicks.
RJ Barrett might have to elevate his game further to make the All-Star team from the East. Fans and the media are paying him attention, but anyone scoring less than 18 points per game isn't going to get All-Star consideration over some of the highest scorers in the league. He is just 21 years old right now and is going to grow in the NBA over the years.