RJ Barrett starting second Knicks season with ‘extra chip on my shoulder’

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Shooting guard RJ Barrett is considered the key young cornerstone in the Knicks’ rebuild.

That cornerstone didn’t make it onto the two All-Rookie Teams.

The snub was a surprise to a lot of people, including Barrett himself. More obscure players such as Terence Davis, Brandon Clarke and PJ Washington were chosen ahead of him.

“It bothered me a lot,’’ Barrett said on a Zoom Call during Media Day. “Not going to lie, it bothered me a lot. I really don’t understand why I wasn’t on it. But it was motivation, motivation for next season. It was good to have an extra chip on my shoulder and just prove myself even more.”

Barrett’s efficiency was the issue. He shot just 32 percent from 3-point range and 62 percent from the free throw line. Still the 6-foot-7 slasher averaged 14 points and provided a lot of intangibles and defense.

While there’s talk about rookies missing out on a summer league because of the pandemic, Barrett missed out on a second Las Vegas stint too.

Still, the No. 3 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft feels he’s ready for his second season and felt he was playing “my best basketball’’ when his rookie year was shut down on March 11 due to the pandemic.

In Barrett’s final eight games before the shutdown, he averaged 18.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 48.2% from the field and 37.5% from three.

“I feel like I’ve made a lot of strides during this offseason,’’ Barrett said. “(The layoff) was such a long time to get better, study films, really break down my game from last year and kind of just work over the course of all these months. I’m really happy with where my game is right now.”

Barrett believes he’ll make a good tandem with new rookie Obi Toppin and has been working out with him since the Dayton star got selected No. 8 overall in last month’s draft.

Barrett is also taking to the stern leadership of new coach Tom Thibodeau. He is Barrett’s third head coach as a Knick after David Fizdale was fired early last season and replaced by interim coach Mike Miller.

“To me, it’s not as hard-driving as everyone says it is,’’ Barrett said. “I’ve always had coaches like that my whole life. That’s what I like. To me, it’s being a good coach. He has a great style and great way he wants our team to approach the game. He knows how to win. He knows how to win at the highest levels. He’s won a championship before. We’re lucky to have him.

“He really wants to defend and get out and really just coaches us to the best of our ability. So far, everything’s been great.”

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