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R.J. Barrett: What He Means to Canada Basketball

By Go Paolo

PORTLAND, OR - APRIL 13: R.J. Barrett #5 of Team World claps from the bench during the game against Team USA during the Nike Hoop Summit on April 13, 2018 at the MODA Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - APRIL 13: R.J. Barrett #5 of Team World claps from the bench during the game against Team USA during the Nike Hoop Summit on April 13, 2018 at the MODA Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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He is the consensus top prospect of the 2019 NBA Draft right now, but that’s not all R.J. Barrett is. To Canada Basketball, he represents something far greater than just another star: a catalyst to Canada’s rise as a basketball power.

R.J. Barrett has been the worst-kept secret out of Canadian basketball news since Andrew Wiggins. The 18-year-old is the “next big thing” to come out of the Great White North and is already drawing comparisons to NBA stars like Demar DeRozan.

Originally from Mississauga, Ontario, blue blood runs in his veins as the son of Canada Basketball icon Rowan Barrett and the godson of NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash.

Rowan Sr. is the executive vice president and assistant general manager of Canada Basketball alongside Nash, the general manager. The two played alongside each other for the 2000 Men’s National Team that qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

As Canadian basketball royalty, Barrett quickly accumulated accolades. He led his high school, Montverde to several titles and became just the second Canadian to be named U.S. high school player of the year.

But it’s on the international stage where Barrett makes a bigger impact.

Team Canada’s Catalyst

Barrett began his Canada Basketball career as the youngest player on Canada’s under-16 men’s national team. He would lead the team in scoring and lead them to silver at the 2015 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.

He would pour in 18.4 points during the 2016 FIBA U17 World Cup and receive All-World Cup U17 Second Team honours.

But he made his mark during the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup and gave a glimpse of what could be possible with him leading the international team.

Barrett dropped 38 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists as he led Team Canada to an upset victory over the USA during the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup semifinals. He subsequently led Canada to their first title and was named the tournament MVP with an average of 21.6 points per game.

The 6-foot-6 swingman could be the greatest player to ever lace up the sneakers for Canada Basketball and this is considering the likes of Nash, Wiggins, and Tristan Thompson.

Barrett has almost everything you want in a star. He has the skills, the natural abilities, and most importantly, the inner fire to win. This was evident in his performances in Montverde and the national team.

Wiggins has all the tools to be great, but his competitiveness is questionable. Nash was ultra-talented and one of the smartest to play the game but he lacked the size and explosiveness. Barrett could potentially have a little bit of all the necessary traits.

He is far from a finished product. And he’ll have plenty to prove right when he starts playing with three other bluechip prospects at Duke.

The Next Canadian Superstar on All Levels

Barrett will be joining 14 other Canadians actively playing in the NBA. Eight were taken in the first round yet only Jamal Murray has gone above expectations to produce like a star-in-the-making.

Wiggins was supposedly the next big Canadian star after Nash. But the former first-overall pick has become a liability to the Wolves and is far from the star he was perceived to be.

Then there was Anthony Bennett, who became the first Canadian drafted first overall and one of the NBA’s all-time biggest busts.

Should Barrett be drafted as a lottery pick and fulfil his hype as a true superstar, he would break the cold spell surrounding Canadian prospects in the NBA.

Barrett has the “it” factor to be a great player and a superstar. He has enough flash in his game and the quiet charisma that was present in other softspoken stars like Vince Carter.

But most importantly, he has that drive to be great. Whether it’s a prestigious high school like Montverde, a college powerhouse like Duke, or a growing basketball power like Team Canada, Barrett has the skill and the will to carry the team to great new heights.

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