RJ Barrett

[toussaud]

Im sorry to be this blunt but anyone who can look at this stiffneck and with a straight facet hink he is a top prospect, i can't take seriously.

Barrett will be a bum. he's not athletic enough to be elite. his actual skillset has been dramatically overrated, he can't dribble with his right hand, he can't shoot, he has no pull up game to speak of. his entire game consists of bulling dudes that don't have his girth and that wont' work in the nba


dont get me started on Cam

[Duke4life831]

Im sorry to be this blunt but anyone who can look at this stiffneck and with a straight facet hink he is a top prospect, i can't take seriously.

Barrett will be a bum. he's not athletic enough to be elite. his actual skillset has been dramatically overrated, he can't dribble with his right hand, he can't shoot, he has no pull up game to speak of. his entire game consists of bulling dudes that don't have his girth and that wont' work in the nba


dont get me started on Cam

Id love to hear it after that take.

[NotMyKawhi]

Im sorry to be this blunt but anyone who can look at this stiffneck and with a straight facet hink he is a top prospect, i can't take seriously.

Barrett will be a bum. he's not athletic enough to be elite. his actual skillset has been dramatically overrated, he can't dribble with his right hand, he can't shoot, he has no pull up game to speak of. his entire game consists of bulling dudes that don't have his girth and that wont' work in the nba


dont get me started on Cam

He has Zero bust potential..he loves the game too much and plays w too much passion to bust. He's already played on the Canadian National team w NBA starters and fit in more than fine...when he was 17. He won't bust.

[Marcus]

RJ pressing early. Needs to understand the talent around him affords him more patience

[Duke4life831]

RJ pressing early. Needs to understand the talent around him affords him more patience

He needs to learn that just cause he can score going one on one, that doesn't mean it's the best offense when he is surrounded with this kind of talent. He's basically played by himself so far today. Everyone else is moving it around but the second it has touched RJ's hands it sticks and he forces a bad shot.

[Marcus]

RJ pressing early. Needs to understand the talent around him affords him more patience

He needs to learn that just cause he can score going one on one, that doesn't mean it's the best offense when he is surrounded with this kind of talent. He's basically played by himself so far today. Everyone else is moving it around but the second it has touched RJ's hands it sticks and he forces a bad shot.

It's part of the pause I have with him but I think it's something he grows out of as the year goes on.

[Duke4life831]

RJ pressing early. Needs to understand the talent around him affords him more patience

He needs to learn that just cause he can score going one on one, that doesn't mean it's the best offense when he is surrounded with this kind of talent. He's basically played by himself so far today. Everyone else is moving it around but the second it has touched RJ's hands it sticks and he forces a bad shot.

It's part of the pause I have with him but I think it's something he grows out of as the year goes on.

Ya this is why I don't praise his passing ability like many others do. I just don't see it. He really has a hard time mixing his attacking and facilitating. It becomes really obvious what he's going to do.

And just on cue he gets the ball and tries to attack the defense and the entire defender collapses on him and he turns it over.

[Marcus]

He needs to learn that just cause he can score going one on one, that doesn't mean it's the best offense when he is surrounded with this kind of talent. He's basically played by himself so far today. Everyone else is moving it around but the second it has touched RJ's hands it sticks and he forces a bad shot.

It's part of the pause I have with him but I think it's something he grows out of as the year goes on.

Ya this is why I don't praise his passing ability like many others do. I just don't see it. He really has a hard time mixing his attacking and facilitating. It becomes really obvious what he's going to do.

And just on cue he gets the ball and tries to attack the defense and the entire defender collapses on him and he turns it over.

Meanwhile Zion has multiple drive and kicks after he breaks down the defense.

[Duke4life831]

It's part of the pause I have with him but I think it's something he grows out of as the year goes on.

Ya this is why I don't praise his passing ability like many others do. I just don't see it. He really has a hard time mixing his attacking and facilitating. It becomes really obvious what he's going to do.

And just on cue he gets the ball and tries to attack the defense and the entire defender collapses on him and he turns it over.

Meanwhile Zion has multiple drive and kicks after he breaks down the defense.

Yup. And the thing with Zion, you have no clue if he's going to look to score or kick out. RJ it's clear as day. RJ has been horrible today on both ends. The last possession he just sat around for 10 seconds not guarding anyone.

Duke needed a game like this. A very smart and old team that is going to make them pay for all their small mistakes. I think the hype got out of control and they needed this ego check.

[Marcus]

Ya this is why I don't praise his passing ability like many others do. I just don't see it. He really has a hard time mixing his attacking and facilitating. It becomes really obvious what he's going to do.

And just on cue he gets the ball and tries to attack the defense and the entire defender collapses on him and he turns it over.

Meanwhile Zion has multiple drive and kicks after he breaks down the defense.

Yup. And the thing with Zion, you have no clue if he's going to look to score or kick out. RJ it's clear as day. RJ has been horrible today on both ends. The last possession he just sat around for 10 seconds not guarding anyone.

Duke needed a game like this. A very smart and old team that is going to make them pay for all their small mistakes. I think the hype got out of control and they needed this ego check.

Looking at RJ's body language once the second half starts. Did not look happy going into the half.

[Duke4life831]

Meanwhile Zion has multiple drive and kicks after he breaks down the defense.

Yup. And the thing with Zion, you have no clue if he's going to look to score or kick out. RJ it's clear as day. RJ has been horrible today on both ends. The last possession he just sat around for 10 seconds not guarding anyone.

Duke needed a game like this. A very smart and old team that is going to make them pay for all their small mistakes. I think the hype got out of control and they needed this ego check.

Looking at RJ's body language once the second half starts. Did not look happy going into the half.

Wouldn't mind seeing RJ and Cam start the half coming off the bench. Just so K can send an early message to the two of them. RJ was horrific on both ends of the court and after the first 8 minutes or so, Cam just went into cruise control. Just because it's not UK, doesn't mean you don't have to go hard all game. At minimum I hope K chewed them out at half.

On a side note, good old classic Bolden showed up today. 0 points, 2 fouls and 2 boards against Army. Tre freaking Jones has 3 rebounds.

[Marcus]

Moved the ball early. Good pull up on the mid-range. Forced three and then dunk off the scramble. Definitely needs to figure out how to do other things when the shot isn't falling and has to pick his body language up.

[Marcus]

Missed that lob to force the shot.

[Duke4life831]

Missed that lob to force the shot.

Yup turned an easy transition bucket into a forced contested layup that he missed. That play is basically RJ's game summed up in one play.

[Marcus]

I understand the love for his mindset but dude is selfish across the board.

[King Ken]

Not the best game for R.J. Was too selfish on offense. At times, would get caught sleeping on defense. Got tunnel vision often in the 1st half. The 2nd half was much better. He is still the most skilled player on Duke and he is insanely athlete for a wing. But he is going to have to realize that those advanced NBA dribbles he worked on this summer, a large number of them are called travel in college.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

I haven't watched much so maybe the Army game is a bad example, but man I was thinking the same thing about his offense looking predictable. He's a talented young man, but may end up as a Wiggins/Barnes type player less he shows a better feel for the game and some shake.

[CptCrunch]

Love it or hate it, RJ is that Westbrook/Kobe kind of player. He has to your #1 option chucking shots all game. Your team success will depend on his play that day.

[Duke4life831]

I haven't watched much so maybe the Army game is a bad example, but man I was thinking the same thing about his offense looking predictable. He's a talented young man, but may end up as a Wiggins/Barnes type player less he shows a better feel for the game and some shake.

He has a motor unlike those two. I have always questioned his wiggle and his ability to create space. The dude has a tremendous knack to score. He just knows how to put the ball in the basket.

But sometimes like today his "killer" mindset over takes his game and doesn't play within the team. Today was really rough for him on both ends. He is better than what he showed today.

[King Ken]

I haven't watched much so maybe the Army game is a bad example, but man I was thinking the same thing about his offense looking predictable. He's a talented young man, but may end up as a Wiggins/Barnes type player less he shows a better feel for the game and some shake.

He has a motor unlike those two. I have always questioned his wiggle and his ability to create space. The dude has a tremendous knack to score. He just knows how to put the ball in the basket.

But sometimes like today his "killer" mindset over takes his game and doesn't play within the team. Today was really rough for him on both ends. He is better than what he showed today.

His biggest thing is, he his a skill guy. Those triple threats, Harden step backs, straight line drives we good body control is how he will get what he wants in the NBA. It's tough to consistently do it in college with the rules but I want to see more movement off the ball with extra passes. He makes great reads off the ball but a lot of times, he does it with his own offense in mind. He isn't a sizzle and wiggle guy like Dort is and he needs to be better. That said, he can shoot well and he can take on a double team at will but will fail at times. I was far more impressed with his UK game. This one really was a tale of two halves.