After Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors ran them out of the gym in their first matchup, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were able to bounce back and secure an overtime victory on the road. The Raptors choked a late lead, but that was not due to their sensational rookie.
Barnes set new career-best marks with 31 points and 17 rebounds in the Toronto loss. OG Anunoby might not be in the lineup, but Barnes has replaced his production. Still just 20 years old, it’s clear that Barnes is adding new facets to his game and playing with renewed confidence.
It’s hard to look at Barnes’ performance yesterday and not come away extremely impressed with what you saw. James was able to co-sign Barnes’ standout play, affirming that all of the potential he saw in him when he was a young prospect has blossomed into something special.
In his postgame interview, James said that he has been bullish on Barnes’ potential since he saw the Raptors star play point guard at 12 years old. James’ GM resume might not be as accomplished as his on-court performance, but it appears as though he would’ve made the same decision Masai Ujiri did at No. 4 given his admiration for Barnes.
LeBron James: “I saw Scottie Barnes for the first time in seventh grade and I knew he was going to be special … it may have been a surprise to some of you guys but it’s no surprise to me … it’s a beautiful thing to watch.” pic.twitter.com/FIu1k0EsHs
— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) March 19, 2022
LeBron James is a big fan of Toronto Raptors sensation Scottie Barnes.
Barnes is averaging just under 20 points and nine rebounds per game since the All-Star break, showing that he can reach his full offensive potential when given a healthier diet of shots. Though Toronto lost against the Lakers, Barnes can be absolved of any blame in that instance.
Barnes went blow for blow with James, which is not easy to do for the most seasoned NBA veteran. After Kevin Durant heaped praise on Barnes during one of Toronto’s early-season matchups against Brooklyn, James seemed more than willing to chime in on the Barnes love.
Barnes became just the fourth rookie in the last 20 seasons to record 25 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists in a game. James was unsurprisingly one of the other four, as Scottie joined LeBron, Ben Simmons, and Blake Griffin in this exclusive club. His Rookie of the Year case keeps getting stronger.
Career best…4 now @ScottBarnes561 pic.twitter.com/L1ZZTWVBpo
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 19, 2022
Even though he has just a handful of games under his belt, Barnes has managed to earn some legitimate praise from some of the biggest names in the sport. With a few more years in the Raptors’ developmental system, Barnes could come closer to becoming the superstar Toronto expects him to eventually evolve into.