RJ Barrett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
RJ Barrett

Barrett with Canada in 2023
No. 9 – Toronto Raptors
Shooting guard / small forward
Personal information
Born	(2000-06-14) June 14, 2000 (age 25) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
High school	St. Marcellinus (Mississauga, Ontario) Montverde Academy (Montverde, Florida)
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	214 lb (97 kg)
Career information
College	Duke (2018–2019)
NBA Draft	2019 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Pro career	2019–present
League	NBA
Career history
2019–2023	New York Knicks
2024–present	Toronto Raptors
Career highlights and awards
Consensus first-team All-American (2019) Jerry West Award (2019) First-team All-ACC (2019) ACC All-Freshman team (2019) National high school player of the year (2018) McDonald's All-American (2018) FIBA U19 World Cup MVP (2017)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Canada FIBA World Cup Bronze 2023 Philippines–Japan–Indonesia FIBA U19 World Cup Gold 2017 Egypt Team FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship Silver 2015 Argentina Team

Rowan Alexander "RJ" Barrett Jr. (born June 14, 2000) is a Canadian basketball star. He plays for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The New York Knicks picked him third in the 2019 NBA draft. He played one year of college basketball at Duke University.

RJ was born in Toronto, Canada. His father, Rowan Barrett, was also a basketball player. RJ became a top player at St. Marcellinus Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario. He then moved to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. He was considered the best high school player in his class in 2018. He won major awards like Naismith Prep Player of the Year.

RJ also played for the Canadian national under-19 team. He was named MVP at the 2017 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup. He led his team to a gold medal there. He later joined the senior Canadian team.

RJ Barrett's Early Life and Basketball Start

RJ Barrett was born in Toronto, Ontario. His parents are Kesha Duhaney and former basketball player Rowan Barrett. When he was very young, he lived in France. His father played professional basketball there. RJ started playing organized basketball in France around 2005.

His family moved to Mississauga, Ontario, in 2008. RJ played many sports growing up. These included football, sprinting, and high jump. At age 12, he decided to focus only on basketball. He told his father he wanted to be an NBA All-Star. He also wanted to reach the Basketball Hall of Fame. Sometimes, he trained with Steve Nash, who is his godfather.

RJ became one of the best young players in Ontario. He played for his school team and won a city title. He also played for the Regional Elite Development Academy (REDA). By age 15, he often played as a point guard. In 2014, he scored 37 points in a game for Ontario's provincial team.

High School Basketball Journey

Playing at St. Marcellinus (2014–2015)

RJ started high school at St. Marcellinus Secondary School in Mississauga. He also played for the Brampton Warriors AAU team. In 2014, experts called him "special" even though he was only a freshman.

In 2015, he was named MVP of the Guy Vetrie Memorial tournament. He scored 41 points in one game. He was also recognized as the best young player in his area.

Moving to Montverde Academy (2015–2018)

In September 2015, RJ moved to Montverde Academy in Florida. This school has a very strong basketball program. He wanted to improve his game even more.

Freshman Year Highlights (2015–16)

RJ led Montverde Academy in scoring in his first year. He scored 18 points in a nationally televised game. He also had 31 points in a tournament game. He was named to the MaxPreps Freshman All-American First Team.

Sophomore Year Success (2016–17)

In his second year, RJ was named to a top preseason team by USA Today. He led Montverde to a tournament title in December 2016. He was named the tournament MVP. He also won MVP at a camp during NBA All-Star Weekend. MaxPreps named him National Sophomore of the Year.

Junior Year and Reclassification (2017–18)

On July 31, 2017, RJ decided to finish high school a year early. He felt ready for college. He was ranked the number one high school player in the country. In March 2018, he won the Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year award. This award is for great character and leadership. He helped mentor younger basketball players at his school.

RJ led Montverde to an undefeated season and a national championship. He scored 25 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in the final game. He also played in the 2018 McDonald's All-American Boys Game, scoring 26 points. At the 2018 Nike Hoop Summit, he was named MVP.

Choosing a College Team

Barrett at the 2017 Nike Hoop Summit

RJ was a top recruit for college basketball. Many major universities wanted him to play for them. These included Arizona, Duke, and Kentucky.

On November 10, 2017, he announced he would go to Duke. He said it felt like home. He also loved Coach K, Duke's famous coach.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
RJ Barrett SF	Mississauga, Ontario	Montverde Academy (FL)	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	Nov 10, 2017
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 96
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 1  247Sports: 1  ESPN: 1
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:

College Basketball at Duke

Barrett with Duke in 2018

On November 6, 2018, RJ played his first college game. He scored 33 points against Kentucky. This broke Duke's freshman scoring record for a debut. He was named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) rookie of the week multiple times.

On February 17, 2019, RJ had a triple-double. He scored 23 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and made 10 assists. This was a rare achievement for a Duke player. He was named to the All-ACC First Team. USA Today also named him Player of the Year.

As a freshman, RJ played in all 38 games. He averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. After Duke's season ended, RJ decided to enter the 2019 NBA draft. He chose to leave college early to become a professional.

RJ Barrett's NBA Career

Starting with the New York Knicks (2019–2023)

On June 20, 2019, the New York Knicks drafted RJ Barrett. He was the third player picked overall. On October 23, 2019, RJ made his NBA debut. He scored 21 points against the San Antonio Spurs.

Barrett with the Knicks in 2020

In his first season, RJ averaged 14.3 points per game. He played in 56 games and started 55 of them.

Second Season Improvements (2020–21)

RJ made big improvements in his second year. He averaged 17.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. His shooting also got much better. He shot 40.1 percent from the three-point line. The Knicks made the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

Record-Breaking Moments (2021–22)

On January 6, 2022, RJ hit a game-winning three-pointer against the Boston Celtics. He scored 31 points against the San Antonio Spurs on January 10. Two days later, he scored 32 points against the Dallas Mavericks. This made him the youngest Knick to have two straight games with at least 30 points.

On February 25, RJ scored a career-high 46 points. He also became the youngest Knicks player to average 20 points per game for a season.

Contract Extension (2022–23)

On September 1, 2022, RJ signed a new four-year contract with the Knicks. It was worth $120 million. He was the first Knicks player since 1999 to sign a multiyear extension after his first contract.

Joining the Toronto Raptors (2024–Present)

On December 30, 2023, the Knicks traded RJ Barrett to the Toronto Raptors. He moved to his hometown team. In his first game with the Raptors on January 1, 2024, he scored 19 points.

On January 7, 2024, RJ scored a season-high 37 points. He also had 6 rebounds and 6 assists. On November 16, 2024, RJ achieved his first career triple-double. He had 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists.

Playing for Team Canada

RJ has played for Canada's national basketball teams since he was young.

He won a silver medal with Canada's under-16 team in 2015. He led his team in scoring during that tournament. In July 2017, RJ led Canada's under-19 team to a big win. He scored 38 points against the US team. He then led Canada to win the championship against Italy. He was named the tournament's MVP.

In June 2018, he played for Canada's senior men's national team for the first time. On May 24, 2022, RJ committed to play for the senior team for three years.

In September 2023, Canada qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics. RJ helped Canada win a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. This was Canada's first World Cup medal ever. He was named to Canada's team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season Stats

NBA Playoff Stats

College Stats

RJ Barrett's Family Life

RJ's father, Rowan Barrett, was born in Toronto. He played college basketball and then professionally in Europe and South America. Rowan Sr. was also a captain for the Canadian national team. He played in the 2000 Summer Olympics. Later, he became a leader for Canada Basketball.

RJ's godfather is Steve Nash. Steve Nash is a famous basketball player in the Hall of Fame. He played with RJ's father on the Canadian national team. They became close friends.

RJ's mother, Kesha Duhaney, is from Brooklyn, New York. She was a top sprinter and long jumper in college. RJ can speak French well. His younger brother, Nathan, also played basketball at Montverde Academy. Nathan passed away in March 2024 at age 19.

See also

In Spanish: R. J. Barrett para niños

• List of Canadian sports personalities
• List of All-Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball teams