Kevin Durant Shares Praise for Scottie Barnes: 'You Got a Good One up Here in Toronto'

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant praised Scottie Barnes, saying the Toronto Raptors have a 'good one' as the sophomore finds his footing this season

Aaron Rose | Dec 17, 2022

Kevin Durant has never held a grudge against the Toronto Raptors. Despite whatever happened back in the 2019 NBA Finals when the then-Golden State Warriors star tore his Achilles tendon, the Brooklyn Nets forward has always praised Toronto and the Raptors organization.

"I enjoy just playing against the Raptors," he said Friday night following Brooklyn's fourth straight victory over Toronto this season. "I don't think I ever get a one-on-one matchup against anybody. I just feel like coaches are going to throw a few guys on me throughout the game."

Toronto's chaotic defense means Durant didn't get a lot of one-on-one time against Scottie Barnes on Friday, but the two-time Finals MVP has repeatedly praised the reigning Rookie of the Year as one of the league's bright young stars.

"I think he's only going to get better as time goes on," Durant said of Barnes. "I know a lot of people are expecting a lot out of him but [he's] still a young player, still growing every day. You got a good one up here in Toronto."

That growth hasn't been easy for Barnes this season. His development has been far from linear as the 21-year-old has struggled to find his footing this year. It hasn't been ugly by any means, but it hasn't always been pretty. His box score stats are down across the board save for a slight jump in his assists per game and that joy that Barnes exuded last season has wained at times.

From afar, Durant isn't concerned. Sophomore seasons aren't easy and even though Durant took a step in his second season, he knows full well what it's like when defenses begin to adjust and expectations go up.

"Realizing that you just got to keep working on your skill, keep crafting. You can easily get complacent and don’t practice much. You’ve had some success, you can relax a bit, [but] you have to still put your foot on the gas to get better and find ways to get your individual skills better, but also learn how to work with your team," said Durant. "You get comfortable after your first year until you realize you really got to put your foot on the gas and get even better in your second and third year. I think Scottie understands that."

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