5 best NBA Draft prospects in the NCAA Tournament
By Ian Levy
2. R.J. Barrett, Wing, Duke
R.J. Barrett came into Duke as one of the most highly regarded recruits in his class. His numbers have been strong — 22.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game — and he’s certainly had his signature moments. Star potential is the reason R.J. Barrett likely winds up as the second player taken in the 2019 NBA Draft but there are plenty of questions about Barrett.
The best version of Barrett is a primary ball-handler and three-level scorer who can carry an NBA offense, creating efficient scoring opportunities for himself and leveraging defensive attention to create openings for his teammates. Barrett has as good a chance of becoming that type of player as any other wing in this draft, but to get there he’ll need to be a much consistent finisher, shooter and decision-maker. He’s shooting 30.4 percent on 3-pointers for the season, and just 22.7 percent over his last 10 games. Barrett has a healthy field goal percentage inside the arc but his strength and athleticism haven’t really translated into elite finishing ability. He’s improved over the course of the season but still has a tendency to get tunnel vision attacking the basket and had nearly as many turnovers (25) as assists (31) during the six games Zion Williamson missed with injury.
Make no mistake, Barrett could be an NBA star. But he’s also a reminder that, in this draft, there are no sure things, except…