Former Raptors Coach Explains What Makes Scottie Barnes Special

Former Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Scottie Barnes is developing into the player he and the organization had hoped for when they drafted him with the No. 4 pick

Oct 25, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) looks to make a pass as Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) defends in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Nick Nurse knew what was coming.

After a disappointing opening night for Scottie Barnes, there was just no way it was going to happen again. The former Toronto Raptors coach back in town with the Philadelphia 76ers called it prior to Friday’s tip-off.

Nurse was right.

Barnes took total advantage of Philadelphia’s lack of size with Joel Embiid and Paul George sidelined and got to the rim at will against the 76ers' undersized defenders.

“He likes to shoot over the top of guys but he did a little bit of everything,” Nurse said following Barnes’ 27-point performance that required just 8-for-11 shooting. “He got some jump shots off and he had a lot of race-it-down-the-floor baskets.”

That’s what Nurse had always wanted from Barnes and what the Raptors hope he’ll continue to develop in the coming years. They see a 6-foot-8 forward who can push the ball up the court in transition or catch it in the post and back down smaller defenders.

“I think he’s kind of in a role now that maybe we — they — envisioned when they got him,” Nurse said of Barnes. “He’s really a push guard that wants to force the pace and get in the paint. He’s unselfish. He creates a lot of offense not for himself but for others too.”

Nick Nurse on Scottie Barnes: pic.twitter.com/OZVFNvr0vu

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Barnes didn’t have his most impressive playmaking night, but he took the plays that were open on a night when a quick whistle marred the flow of the game. Three of his four assists Friday came after getting downhill into the paint before finding his teammates for buckets.

“He’s really doing that at a high pace right now and doing it at a high frequency,” Nurse said. “And then he’s still going to play physical, back you down, take those little turnaround look-away jumpers. He still seems to get it in the basket.”

Of Barnes’ eight made field goals, seven came in the paint, either in transition or after backing down his defender for post position.

Barnes isn’t going to have some sort of flawless season this year, certainly not with the roster Toronto has built around him. But the hope for the Raptors is he bounces back from his off nights the way he did Friday and shows the kind of resilience Toronto will need moving forward.