NBA Draft 2019: Mock Draft 1.0
By Chris Kern
Guard. 3. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Duke. R.J. Barrett. 156
R.J. Barrett is a very good player who will dominate offensively at the next level. He would be a perfect compliment to Collin Sexton in the backcourt. They do have some limitations defensively, but that would be an exciting duo to watch grow over the next decade together.
He was such a focal point for Duke this season as he had the ball in his hands so often this season. He averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game in his season at Duke. The way he impacts the game will make him a triple-double threat in the NBA.
Some people have compared him to James Harden, but their complete games aren’t that similar. He can get in the lane and finish through contact similarly to Harden, but he certainly isn’t as effective, especially from the perimeter. He made just 31% of his three-point shots at Duke which will be a huge weakness at the next level if he can’t improve that.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will prefer to pick first so they can draft Zion Williamson, but Barrett is a very good player in his own right. Coming into the season he seemed to be a near lock to be the top pick, but now he is slated to go #3. That isn’t a knock on him it’s more about how the two guys ahead of him just dominated this season while being in the national spotlight.