	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NBA DRAFT 2019

June 20, 2019

RJ Barrett

Brooklyn, New York

Q. Could you talk about your feelings about being picked by the Knicks?
RJ BARRETT: What do I say? I'm so overwhelmed, humbled and just honored and very thankful that the Knicks took the chance with me, that they believed in me. I'm so happy to be a Knick, and I can't wait to play in Madison Square Garden.

Q. You said yesterday you may have some tears, and sure enough, you did. What were the emotions running through your mind at that point? It looked like tears were coming down.
RJ BARRETT: Yeah, even before I got picked, I was trying not to just let it come out. I feel like I've worked so hard my whole life and just for this day to come, and now that it's here and to hear my name called and walk across that stage, I just had to let it out.

Q. Obviously the crowd was excited and they chanted your name. What was that like hearing that after you were picked?
RJ BARRETT: That was great. I'm glad that the city wants me here as much as I want to be here.

Q. You spoke yesterday how when you were growing up as a kid your grandfather told you one day you would play for the Knicks. How much were you thinking about your grandfather when the pick was finally in and you knew you were going to play your career in New York?
RJ BARRETT: That was crazy. That was one of the reasons why I was crying, because we used to watch the Knicks growing up and he would always tell me I was going to be a Knick. I'm sad he can't be here to see it. But I'm just very happy, man.

Q. A question about the influence of your dad growing up. He had a good professional career in Europe. And is going to the Knicks going to change your decision of playing with the national team this summer?
RJ BARRETT: Well, my dad, oh, man, that's the guy that got me going in basketball. Watching him is where I got my passion. So he's definitely been one of the biggest influences in my life.

Playing for Team Canada is still to be determined. I have no clue what's going to happen. I have no clue what the team is going to say or haven't really discussed it with my family yet, so I don't know what's going to happen.

Q. You are the proof that dreams can come true, so what did it take, and what are the qualities you possess today that might make you one of the best in the league?
RJ BARRETT: It took a lot of discipline. First of all, thank you very much. But took a lot of discipline, a lot of early-morning workouts when I didn't want to go, a lot of staying home and getting rest while people are out having fun. So just took a lot of hard work and being uncomfortable doing things that you don't want to do. I don't know what else to say.

Q. We see that you and Zion have been supporting each other through this whole process. What did he say to you right when you got off the stage there when you embraced?
RJ BARRETT: We just told each other how happy we were for each other. I told him I loved him, he told me he loved me, and we're ready to get to work now.

Q. What does it mean to be a Canadian and get drafted as high as you did? And the second part is your father and the bond that you guys have and potentially an opportunity to lead Canada to the Olympics much like your dad did.
RJ BARRETT: It's amazing to be Canadian. We take a lot of pride. That's why I've got my Canadian flags on this side of my jacket. To put it on for our country, that means a lot. My dad, man, is big. He's big with Canada basketball. He's big with me. He helps me through everything. So yeah, I love him.

Q. Probably going to be five or six Canadians picked tonight. What does that say about the status of Canadian basketball and what does it mean to be the face of it going forward?
RJ BARRETT: It feels great. Canadian basketball is really on the rise. You see we have -- like you said, probably six, maybe more, in the draft this year. We have probably four of us going in the first round. So it's just amazing. Canada basketball is on the rise. We're going to have to cut some NBA players from the team this summer. But it's great.

Q. Reflect on the draft experience, doing it with two of your teammates and good friends.
RJ BARRETT: Man, it's great. To see Z go first and me go 3, I don't know where Cam is or Cam ends up yet, but it felt great. I mean, we worked so hard and we had so many conversations over the year, definitely getting to learn about each other and learn what everyone goes through or went through to get to this point. So to see all our dreams being achieved is a special moment.

Q. You're coming to a relatively young team with a huge fan base and obviously intense media coverage in New York. What do you think you bring to the locker room, on the court and in the locker room, just as far as personality and how you can relate to other players and kind of build that team up?
RJ BARRETT: On the court, excitement. Hard worker, competitive, just make plays on both ends of the floor. You're going to see a lot of exciting things from me. And then in the locker room, I actually grew up in Europe half my life and then Canada and the States the other half of my life, so I feel like I can connect with anybody. I'm definitely a personality.

Q. You just said that you are a personality, you can connect with a lot of people, so it seems like New York is a perfect space for you. A lot of people talk about how New York is more flashy and people are more in the spotlight. Can you talk about how you've maybe mentally prepared for this stage as opposed to any other team because New York is such a big mecca?
RJ BARRETT: Well, I call New York just a bigger version of Toronto. I'm kind of used to it already. When it comes to everything on the court with the fan base and everything, I just feel like -- I went to Duke, we got a lot of attention. Being in New York there's going to be a lot more, but I've just been built this way to handle it. Yeah, I'll be fine.

Q. How much did it mean for you to get that ovation from the fans because there have been some draft picks here in this town that don't get that ovation.
RJ BARRETT: I watched, yeah. That was great. I mean, how would you feel if people were screaming your name? You'd feel great. I really feel like I'm doing something good. All my hard work is paying off. I know that like Kareem said, you have nothing to prove but you have everything to prove. This is a new start, so I'm ready to go.

Q. How excited are you about going to the Knicks, and knowing how many options are on the table in terms of cap room and future assets?
RJ BARRETT: I'm not thinking about none of that stuff. I'm going to see kind of what happens there. I don't know enough to speak on that. I just know that I'm going to be on the team.

Q. Madison Square Garden is obviously basketball's mecca. Every basketball player wishes to leave a legacy. LeBron James calls it his playground, Kevin Durant loves the energy that it brings. What do you love about Madison Square Garden, and what legacy do you want to leave there?
RJ BARRETT: Well, I was fortunate enough to play there once this year with Duke. That was one of the craziest environments I've ever been in. I'm a player that plays with a lot of passion, competitiveness and excitement, so to be able to go in a home arena 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.

Q. I know your father played in Europe several years. I'm not sure if you were with him when he did, and he played --
RJ BARRETT: He played in Cantu.

Q. In Cantu, exactly. Were you there, and what do you remember of that experience?
RJ BARRETT: I was there. Italy was a lot of fun. I remember eating a lot of pasta. And the arena was actually right across the street from where I lived, so it was great. I watched my dad go to practice and go to the games every day as a young kid. I just remember that gym being crazy.

Q. I believe your parents met in Queens at St. John's University. Was there any thought of playing at SJU?
RJ BARRETT: I mean, they didn't really recruit me, but if they did --

Q. We could have used you at Columbia, too.
RJ BARRETT: It would have been a thought.

Q. Is that something that kind of got you excited about New York aside from the size of the market?
RJ BARRETT: Yeah, of course. My parents met here. My mom grew up here. We have family over here, too. My mom is from Brooklyn. So everything is really exciting.

Q. Your godfather, Steve Nash, tweeted before that he's telling everyone that his godson is on TV and he's probably going to the Knicks and no big deal. What has he meant to you and what advice has he given you so far?
RJ BARRETT: He's a Hall of Famer, right? You wouldn't even know it if you spoke to him. He's the nicest guy. He's the most humble guy ever. Especially he's been really big for me during this draft process. He checks on me basically every day or almost every other day to see if I'm good, see how I'm feeling, giving me advice. I'm very thankful for him.

Q. There's a lot of Duke players across the league. Fortunately for you you have one Duke teammate Lance Thomas on the Knicks. How excited are you to play against some fellow Duke players and having a teammate on the Knicks?
RJ BARRETT: First of all, that's great. The brotherhood is very strong. The brotherhood is everywhere, so I'm very excited to go. I met Lance before. He's a great guy. So I'm very excited to work with him.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297