2019 NBA Mock Draft: March is here
R.J. Barrett. 2. player. 156. . G/F. Duke
It’s not going to be hard to move Barrett from this spot if someone has a big March. In fact, he’s only at No. 2 here because of his fit next to Collin Sexton in Cleveland. Ja Morant and Barrett’s teammate, Cam Reddish, are both in contention for the No. 2 spot here come June. Others like Jarrett Culver and De’Andre Hunter could push to become the second pick if a team likes what they see in the early summer.
Advanced statistics for college basketball can be dicey because the shorter season gives us a smaller sample, the game is shorter and many teams’ styles are organized around a team approach more than the NBA. However, Barrett’s lack of statistical value is clear. He stole possessions from teammates frequently, posting a 32.4 percent usage rate for the most talented team in the country. Yet he only put up a 53.3 true shooting percentage. Duke’s offense was nearly three points worse per 100 possessions when Barrett played, a number certainly hurt by the team’s failures when Zion Williamson was out of the lineup but nevertheless disconcerting when it comes to projecting Barrett forward as a No. 1 scoring option in the NBA.
In addition, Barrett doesn’t appear to be ready for the NBA 3-point line. Shot charts over at The Stepien show Barrett as a 27.36 percent shooter from NBA 3 range.
If he’s an unreliable and overeager shooter who doesn’t consistently impact the game on defense, it’s difficult to imagine Barrett being an elite NBA player deserving of the second overall pick in the draft.