Young RJ Barrett welcomes becoming face of Knicks
Knicks guard RJ Barrett (9) celebrates a basket after drawing a foul by Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 23, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. Credit: AP/Rusty Jones
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — It has been the rare player who has embraced the challenge of trying to lead the Knicks back to relevance. Carmelo Anthony wanted to go to New York and stood willingly as the face of the franchise during his time here. Julius Randle took on the role last year but wasn’t so thrilled with the chore this season when things turned sour.
But RJ Barrett, as he winds down his third season in New York, has done it with the same enthusiasm that he brought to the draft — when he refused to work out for any other team before the Knicks selected him with the third overall pick in 2019. And now, eligible for a pricey extension this summer, he is welcoming the challenge and leaving the decision in the hands of the Knicks front office.
“First of all, what pressure?” Barrett said when asked about taking on this face of the franchise role at 21 years old. “There’s no pressure. Nah, it’s not pressure. It’s fun. It’s fun. I feel like just my personality, the type of person I am, no pressure at all. I embrace it . . .
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said, "The thing is if you put everything you have into something you’re not going to feel pressure. Once you do that that’s all you can do. If you’re putting everything you have into it you live with the results. You have to have a team of leaders.
“I think he’s experienced big stages before. Playing at Duke has prepared him for this. He’s wired a certain way. He doesn’t get too high, too low. Comes in every day, gives you what he has. So long as you do that, keep growing, stretch yourself. But it’s not only about bringing the best out of yourself, but bringing the best out of the group. That’s part of the responsibility that he has.”
While the front office will have to decide whether to offer him a max contract this summer — a five-year, $181 million package — or some lesser amount or even wait until the following summer when he could become a restricted free agent, Barrett is set on becoming the first Knicks rookie to sign an extension since Charlie Ward in 1994.
“Whatever happens in the summer happens,' Barrett said. "I know I have zero control over it. Whatever happens, happens. Whatever the front office feels — I’m sure my agent is going to be involved a lot. So, I’m not too worried about it. I’ve been giving it my all ever since I stepped here, so whatever happens this summer, that’s kind of what it is. It’s not up to me.”
“I’ve said it since Day One that I wanted to come here,” he said. “I didn’t work out for any other team. This is where I want to be. I love playing for the Knicks. I love playing in the Garden. I love how we got to the playoffs last year and looking to do that again. I love everything about being a Knick. Yeah, 100% the place I want to be.”
But asked if he thinks he’s earned that max contract extension, while confident in himself, he is leaving that for others to judge.
“No, I just think this year I’ve shown who I am,” Barrett said. “I’ve shown toughness. I’ve shown that I’m resilient just being that everyday guy. I had COVID. I got hurt a couple games. But just try to be here through anything. More than that, I just want to be a team guy. I just want to win. I want to win. So, it hasn’t gone perfect. It hasn’t gone the way we planned it, but we haven’t let go of the rope. Really proud of how we’ve been playing since the All-Star break. That just showed a lot about us, as well. So for me, I just go out there and just try to show who RJ Barrett is and then the rest of it happens by itself.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
