Memphis Grizzlies: An early look at 2019 NBA Draft prospects
By Chris Kern
RJ Barrett
RJ Barrett was the number one ranked player in the 2018 class. He is also the favorite to be the top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Barrett has been one of the top prospects for a long time. He is gonna be good enough to make teams tank for him so it seems unlikely the Grizzlies would be able to get him.
He is a complete player. He has the ability to impact the game on the offensive end but he also is a capable defender.
He is a guy who can attack the basket and has the ability to finish through contact. His shot is a bit inconsistent but we’ll just have to wait and see how it looks in college before making any judgments.
This Duke team is loaded with talent so it’ll be interesting to see how they all fit in together. Barrett should be the go-to guy that they rely upon down the stretch.
He is listed as a shooting guard by most draft sites but he can play the small forward spot as well. Being listed at 6’6″ and 210 pounds he has the size to play the three in today’s game.
Barrett needs to show some improvements on the offensive end if he wants to lock up being the top pick in the draft. His free-throw shooting is a bit of a concern and some people are also worried about his shooting form.
He has the capability to be a really good pro despite the inconsistencies with his shot. If he can fix those, he has a chance to be a true franchise superstar.
Barrett and his teammates put on a show against Kentucky in the season opener. He led the team in scoring with 33 points but also had four rebounds and six assists.
His ability to get to the rim was shown to everybody in the nation. Kentucky had no answer for him and it led to Duke getting the 118-84 win.
It won’t be this easy for him all season long but it was nice to see him get off to a good start. He showed everyone, why he’s the early favorite to be the number one pick in the 2019 Draft.