Former Knicks Savior Proud to Have 'Built Something'

RJ Barrett reflected on his rollercoaster tenure with the New York Knicks as he prepares for his first full season with the Toronto Raptors.

Nov 24, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett (9) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / brad penner-usa today sports

So much has transpired since RJ Barrett last donned a New York Knicks jersey that his Manhattan endeavors seem downright predhistoric.

The Knicks' potential run to glory will not feature Barrett, who is now set to embark on his first full season as a member of his hometown Toronto Raptors. Barrett was the homegrown face of the Knicks until he was sent north, along with Immanuel Quickley, in the deal that donned OG Anunoby in blue-and-orange.

Since Barrett's return to Madison Square Garden as a Raptor has come and gone, many Manhattanites have quickly moved on from his rollercoaster tenure that began as the third overall pick out of Duke in the 2019 draft. Barrett, however, took a walk down memory lane in an interview with Sharp Magazine.

Jan 20, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) brings the ball up court against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / brad penner-usa today sports

“I think people forget that we really built something there," Barrett recalled to David Stol. "When I arrived, we weren’t contending. We weren’t close, really. My sophomore year, we made the playoffs. Then, we just kept building. We gave the fans something to cheer for and they deserve it, man. It’s a tough city but you earn their love. I’m glad we got there for them.”

To Barrett's point, the Knicks were a 17-win disaster when he arrived out of Duke in 2019. Though he was a consolation prize after lottery balls bounced away Zion Williamson/Ja Morant's territory, Barrett became the Knicks' would-be savior for a team seeking any form of progress.

The experiment produced mixed results: Barrett became the youngest player in Knicks history to average 20 points a game during the 2020-21 campaign but struggled to maintain that brand of consistency. New York eventually sent him to his native Toronto, where he is now the headliner of Toronto's drastic rebuild. To his credit, Barrett appeared to find an Ontarian groove, hitting 21.8 points on over 55 percent shooting.

Despite the relatively dour ending, Barrett continued to look back on his metropolitan tenure with pride and joy.

There are a few things I miss, sure,” a wistful Barrett said. “Mostly, I miss my boys over there, the relationships you build over time, and the fans. That pressure was really special. But there’s a different kind of pressure coming back to Toronto, coming back home, that I feel blessed to have.”

Barrett and Quickley will return to MSG on Dec. 23, when Toronto visits for the first of two yearly Manhattan meet-ups.

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