NBA DRAFT

July 29, 2021

Scottie Barnes

Q. I know today is the first day of your NBA career, but what legacy do you want to leave behind when your career is all said and done?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I just want to be great. I'm just a great person, I'm a great teammate, I'm a great player, I want to be known for someone that just puts in the time, puts in the work, someone that's great, that just does it all. Striving for greatness I'm going to keep working, staying in the gym, I just want to leave that legacy that I'm that guy that I can really be -- I'm a great person and a great teammate as well, I will say.

Q. During the pre-draft process did it feel like, did you get a sense that the Raptors were kind of really narrowing in on you? And also what kind of fit do you think you have with the team?

SCOTTIE BARNES: Really, I didn't really know what team really wanted me. I didn't know. I just didn't have any expectations. I just really just came into to each workout not knowing, just trying to be the best person I can be, just trying to be myself, really. I wasn't trying to overdo things. I was just being myself. When I got there no matter if it's on the court and I just showed my personality.

Q. How do you think you would fit with this kind of like young Raptors backcourt?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I would say I fit in perfect. Just with what their whole game plan is based off, they start off with a defensive mindset, a defensive mentality, I feel like I belong in that program. So, I would just say I can fit right in doing different things to help other people, other people can help me, I feel like I fit right in.

Q. I have to ask you about your time in high school, obviously that was part of your formative years. What was your biggest takeaway that you took from there. And also your time at FSU, just all the steps that led to this moment, what is your biggest takeaway from your high school career and college career now going into the NBA?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I would say my biggest takeaway from my high school career, remain humble, remain humble, stay solid, keep working, keep just trying to get better. My high school I would just say it was just me just working, trying to have that mindset. I would say that mindset just started each and every practice where it was just like I was just trying to lock in to everything.

I would say college, my biggest takeaway from college was just staying mature, growing up, being who I am on the floor, working on different aspects of the game. It was more of, I was learning more mental components of what it takes to be a pro at Florida State. Florida State, they develop a lot of pros, the program is just rising and rising. So, I would just say developing that pro mentality, that pro mindset.

Q. You're a player that is claimed to have very high potential in this draft and one of the big things is unlocking your shooting potential. So, what are you going to do to make sure that your shooting potential unlocks your game, that you can become that kind of all-time talent, player that can lead the Raptors to greatness?

SCOTTIE BARNES: Of course I feel like my shooting improved so much tremendously since the college season but of course it's getting with the program, being able to, willing to work with them, trying to, if they feel like they need to fix something in it, I'm willing to work with them to try to fix whatever it needs. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to try to be the best player I can be, being that great, being at the top of the league, being able to just come in day and day out knowing that I'm the best player on the floor. I'm trying to achieve greatness.

So, I'm going to be -- I'm able, I'm open to working with them, trying to fix different things with my jump shot but I also feel like I improved tremendously with my jump shot to where it's at now.

Q. Wanted to know when or how what indication you got that you might be drafted by Toronto tonight or were you surprised a little bit as well as some others were or did you have a good feeling coming into today?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I didn't really know where, but I really, I really didn't just expect anything. I just came in and like I said, I just came in with the I don't know mindset, I don't know what was going to happen, I just came in just trying to live by the moment until when I got my name called. It was just a huge bit of excitement that I felt for me and my family.

Q. What are your ambitions as a NBA player?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I would say my ambitions, probably, I can say, I say I can be one -- I can be if not the top player in the league or one of those top players in the league with my mindset because I'm just willing to work, I'm willing to get better, I know I'm a great defensive player but I also have the offensive tools which is pretty slept on, I would say, with the abilities that I can do on the floor. I know I can really create for myself, I really can score the ball, I will say I envision myself, if not being the best player in the league but one of the best players as well.

Q. We spoke a couple times during the season where you were at FSU during the ACC tournament and NCAA tournament and you mentioned how being in the system at Florida State allowed the rest of the country to see the other parts of your game, other than you just being a scorer. You did the same thing in high school. What is the things that you have worked on the most since the last time we saw you play a college game at Florida State until this moment right now, what have you worked on the most and how can people -- what player do you see yourself as or people can kind of recognize you towards in the league now?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I probably -- I don't know about the last question about just people just seeing me play, trying to compare me to someone, but I would just say I’ve just been working on is just constantly day in and day out my jump shot, no matter if it's on the ball, off the dribble, just getting tons and tons of reps day in, day out. Constantly developing, working on my finishing moves against the basket, I'm just working on a lot of areas of my game, I'm just still trying to get better, even the aspects where I'm already good at I'm still trying to get better.

Q. We had a chance to talk to [Raptors GM] Bobby Webster yesterday and he mentioned how like they had a room and they're interviewing prospects to get the Toronto experience. Like a Toronto experience room, did you see that yourself and can you tell us a little bit about what that's like?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I actually did, when I went on my, when I went to my pre-draft workout with the Raptors, I actually did. It just shows me different things about the city, it's a really nice city. It's beautiful. So, I would just say I really like the city, I really want to go see it for myself in person.

Q. Have you ever been to Canada before?

SCOTTIE BARNES: No, I had never been there before, but I know I have family out there, a lot of my Jamaican family is out there on my dad's side, so I know there's a lot of people that's like Jamaican out there and so I have family out there as well.