RJ Barrett is probably the player who needed to improve the most this season for the Knicks. Even though his performance last year wasn’t bad at all and he absolutely deserved to be part of an All-Rookie team, it wasn’t what you were hoping for from an overall number three pick.
Barrett going to Duke where he had Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish to pick him up when he needed it, then coming to the Knicks wasn’t going to be an easy task. He needed someone to help him take the load off his shoulders when his shot didn’t fall.
Barrett is the best at attacking the circle and being aggressive, he’s never been a punctual shooter, and often last year you found him watching Randle aimlessly dribble around the perimeter waiting for the ball. As a result, his confidence collapsed and he seemed lost more times than on the pitch.
Now that Julius Randle is playing as he is, you can see how he is influencing Barrett’s game. The trust they have in each other has been enormous, they always seem to know where they are on the pitch and Randle is more willing to give up the ball.
Barrett’s second year fared much better, he is averaging more points, rebounds, assists and his free throw rate has improved significantly. Although filming of him has yet to be worked on overall, he and Randle seek to develop a strong partnership that the Knicks can build on.