RJ Barrett is now hinting at Knicks fantasy: ‘New York is my favorite’
LOS ANGELES — RJ Barrett said all the right things, but you could sense he can’t wait to become a Knick.
“It would be a lot of fun, definitely, playing in the Garden, those bright lights and they have so much history,’’ the Duke swingman said Tuesday at the BDA Sports Management Pro Day at UCLA, his first comments to the media since the NBA Draft Lottery was held.
Regarding the draft, he said with a big smile, “I can’t wait, I’ve dreamed about it since I was a little kid so I’m really excited.’’
Barrett, 18, is expected to be taken third by the Knicks, and he said his recent combine meeting with Knicks management was “Great. I loved it, I was very comfortable. We had an honest conversation, it was good. [David] Fizdale is a good coach and they have a good crew there.’’
There were times during the session he got excited just hearing about the Knicks.
Knicks legend Bernard King told The Post’s Marc Berman that Barrett has a high basketball IQ, among many other attributes, which thrilled the former Duke star.
“Bernard King said something great about me? Wow, he’s one of the best,” Barrett said. “I’m definitely honored and very thankful.’’
As for the different cities he could wind up in, the Toronto-born Barrett said, “New York is my favorite. Every summer I visited. I have family there. That’s where my mom grew up, so I’ve definitely been there a lot.’’
With his parents’ New York background — both attended St. John’s where his father played basketball and his mother ran track — Barrett said Brooklyn is his favorite part of the city. His godfather is Steve Nash, and he credits the legendary point guard for helping mold him into the player he has become.
“He told me to continue to work hard, the work ethic, that’s how he became a two-time MVP,’’ Barrett said of Nash.
The 6-foot-7 Barrett did not take part in Tuesday’s workout and was wearing a sweatsuit he described as a “pink/salmon kind of thing going on there, but I like it.’’
He was engaged in conversations throughout the day with friends at the workout, a gym jammed with NBA scouts and executives, including Pat Riley, Sean Marks, Mitch Kupchak and coaches Luke Walton and Erik Spoelstra. The Knicks were represented by West Coast scout Mike Smith and scouting coordinator Kristian Petesic.
Riley told The Post that Barrett is a “great talent and so much of these young players’ success in the NBA depends on how well they react to the challenge, both mentally and physically.’’
Said Barrett, “These are the best players in the world and I feel like my decision-making will be a great factor in that.’’
At Duke, he put together an incredible freshman season. When someone asked if he got the credit he deserved, playing alongside Zion Williamson, Barrett said, “Being one of the top picks in the draft is credit enough. I don’t really look for the spotlight, I don’t look for any of that stuff. I just want to play basketball. The way the season went, I had no idea it could be that great. We didn’t win [the NCAA Tournament] but other than that it was the perfect season for us and for me. I felt like I could show everything I could do.’’
For those who question Barrett’s shooting, he said, “I scored the ball, it doesn’t really matter how you do it. I love being a wing, you can make plays there and also get down there to download the bigs so I feel that is the perfect position for me.’’
Barrett shot just 30.8 percent on 3-pointers, but he vowed to be better in the NBA.
“That’s why you work out, you try to get better every year,” he said. “I got better from high school, going into this year and I’m definitely going to be better going into next year.”
He also expects to be prepared for whatever the future holds.
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“I have a lot of friends,’’ he said of his many conversations. “Anybody who knows me knows that I am very cultured, I can speak French, I’ve lived in a lot of different places so I am prepared for what is next.’’
When asked what it would like to play with a talent like Kevin Durant, Barrett said, “First of all, just to play in the NBA is what I want to do. Whoever I play with is fine.’’
Williamson is sure to be the No. 1 pick, but when Barrett was asked if he ever thought of being drafted first, he said, “I just think about being a pick. I’m happy if he is the No. 1 pick. For me the dream was to play in the NBA, it was never for any specific teams. I’d be happy with whoever drafts me.’’
And if the Knicks wound up trading the pick, Barrett said he could deal with it.
“That would be cool, too,” he said. “I’d still be in the NBA.’’
