2019 NBA Top Pick Tells Knicks Fans To Watch Out For Duke Teammate

The New York Knicks may have fallen short in their rumored pursuit of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but they may have just gotten a better piece if one thinks of long-term. Falling short of landing big-name veteran NBA names, the Gotham-based squad did get rookie RJ Barrett, along with other promising stars like Julius Randle, Wayne Ellington and Elfrid Payton to beef up the roster of head coach David Fizdale.

Calling to mind the 2018-29 NBA wars, the Knicks were tanking as Fizdale opted to give younger players a chance to strut their wares. Starting this 2019-20 season, things were looking up since they were favorites to land Irving and Durant. Instead, the two did come to New York but for the Brooklyn Nets. Still, the Knicks got better with these new faces.

Barrett, the third pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, was widely in consideration by several teams. And while it was a no-brainer he would be among the top three picks, there were still questions surrounding his entry. He did show off his skills with the Duke Blue Devils but it remains that everything changes in the NBA. The New York Post reported how he flourished in the NBA summer league, although it remains that his development may take some time.

As for how long that will take is anyone's guess, although former Duke teammate and the 2019 NBA Draft top pick Zion Williamson believes the Knicks may have gotten more than they bargained for.

"[Knicks fans] can expect that they're getting a killer," said Williamson in a recent interview with SNY. "For the people that are trying to look down on him, RJ's been through worse. He knows how to battle through it and he's going to bring the city everything he's got."

Barrett will be among the young guys on the Knicks roster, although there are also veterans in the mix. That includes Reggie Bullock, Taj Gibson and Bobby Portis, veterans who can guide the 19-year-old as he makes his NBA journey.

"I'm a player that plays with a lot of passion, competitiveness, and excitement, so to be able to go in a home arena [Madison Square Garden] that has such a great fan base like that is going to make the game so much more fun. It's going to be great," said Barrett when asked about playing for the Knicks.