Since arriving from the New York Knicks in the trade that sent OG Anunoby out of Toronto, RJ Barrett has been the breathe of fresh air that the Raptors needed. The Canadian has made an impact from the day he arrived to the north, averaging  20.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists thus far.

Comparison

His ability to score in the paint and play behind the arc allows him to be a threat for the opposing defenders. Head Coach Darko Rajakovic told Barrett that he sees some of Manu Ginóbili’s game in his.

“We had a conversation, a couple of weeks ago, I told him that I see some of that type of play in him… and the fortunate thing about that is Manu Ginóbili is his favourite player as well.”

Barrett showed his appreciation for Darko's words after being compared to the Hall of famer and San Antonio Spurs legend.

“Of course, it’s a big compliment, one of the greatest,” Barrett said. “How smart he was, making reads, making the right reads, the right plays, always solid and steady every single game.”

Ginóbili's ability to shoot the three and attack the paint as a left-handed guard brings a lot of similarities to Barrett's game. Toronto is hoping to get success out of Barrett after he's became of the most consistent young guards in the Eastern Conference.

The 23 year-old was drafted third overall by the Knicks in the 2019 NBA Draft where he blossomed into one of the promising stars in the league. During his tenure in New York City, Barrett led the Knicks to the playoffs twice and averaged 17.8 points and 5.3 assists through 16 total games.