NBA Legend Dwyane Wade Praises Raptors Forward at Olympics

Dwyane Wade has been impressed with how Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett has played through two games at the Paris Olympics

Jul 30, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; Dwyane Wade rubs the shoulders of Canada small forward RJ Barrett (9) against Australia in a men's group stage basketball match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

RJ Barrett is turning heads at the Olympics.

It really should come as no surprise. The 24-year-old looked phenomenal over the second half of last season after the Toronto Raptors acquired Barrett from the New York Knicks in a deal for OG Anunoby. And yet, with the world’s eyes on Barrett at the Paris games, the 6-foot-6 forward has taken his game up another level.

“When I say he is hooping, he is hooping man,” former NBA legend Dwyane Wade said of Barrett on the television broadcast for the United States.

Wade then took to social media to share a picture of Barrett with more praise for the Canadian: “@rjbarrett has been hooping hooping.”

For the second straight game, Barrett led the Canadians in scoring with 24 points against Australia to follow up his 23-point performance against Greece.

“It's all within the flow of the offense,” Wade said on the broadcast. “He's not doing anything out of control or out of character, it’s all within the flow of the offense. So it's a pretty style of basketball he's playing right now.”

Canada’s senior men’s basketball coach Jordi Fernandez seemed to agree.

“He is that guy,” Fernandez told reporters in France following Canada’s victory over Australia. “Sometimes I don't call plays for him, and he just scores, so that's what he does.”

Barrett is 16-for-27 from the floor and 4-for-10 from three-point range across two games so far. He and the Canadians will have a chance to clinch the top spot in their group on Friday morning when they take on Spain at 11:15 a.m. ET.