'Going to the Olympics, Baby!': Knicks' RJ Barrett Dances to Paris, Manila at World Cup Win
March is half a year away and RJ Barrett's collegiate eligibility has been discarded. But Barrett still managed to find a way to the Big Dance, the FIBA Basketball World Cup serving as his floor.
After an 88-85 upset win over Spain in the second round closer of the FIBA Basketball World Cup on Sunday, the New York Knicks' homegrown star and the rest of Canada's men's national basketball team is dancing their way not only to Manila for knockout round but also Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The win in Jakarta over the defending World Cup champions broke a couple of dubious Canadian streaks: the Road Warriors are now guaranteed their best World Cup finish since 1994 (when they hosted in Toronto) but they will partake in their first Olympics since the 2000 Games in Sydney.
Barrett took dancing to a whole new level in the aftermath: as he approached the international press for postgame comments, he made it clear that the good vibes of Canada's win hadn't worn off, dancing and loudly confirming the Olympic invite before making his public comments.
"We're going to the Olympics, baby! Man, that's crazy," a relieved and rejoicing Barrett said in video from Alex Adams of CBC Radio. "You know, this is good. I told my dad I was going to get there, so yeah, I'm happy let's go!"
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The younger Barrett played a major role in Canada's clinch, scoring 11 of the team's first 21 points to keep pace with La Roja in the early going. Though Barrett fouled out toward the end of the game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City) and Dillon Brooks (Houston) helped seal the deal.
Between Barrett (16), Gilgeous-Alexander (30), and Brooks (22), Canada's big three accounted for all but 20 of its 88 total points.
"It was a tough game, (but) it was fun," Barrett said. "Obviously, to go up against Spain, they're just, with the history of their program, they're an amazing team. They gave us a battle all game."
"It was definitely a tough game (but) I think it just shows who we are, that we always had that in us."
Canada (4-1) seemed doomed for defeat as they faced a dozen-point deficit entering the fourth quarter of Sunday's game. That followed a lost would-be clinching opportunity on Friday, which saw the Canadians drop a narrow decision to equally upset-minded Brazil.
A final push from the NBA talents assembled by Rowan Barrett, RJ's father, and Team Canada's general manager, sealed the deal: the Canadians won the final frame 27-12 to doom Spain, winners of two of the last four World Cups, to their worst finish in the competition since the aforementioned 1994 staging.
"We just dug deep. Dillon was huge, Shai just iced the game, made all the free throws," Barrett recalled. "We just dug deep. We hit some adversity down 12 in the fourth and just had to stay together."
Alas for Barrett and his Canadian company, there's hardly any time to celebrate: the team is among the eight nations still competing for World Cup gold and the drive continues with a flight to Manila to face Slovenia on Tuesday (8:40 a.m. ET, ESPN+).
