
The Toronto Raptors have become one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this season. What they’ve done on the court has been impressive. It’s safe to say that the Brandon Ingram trade is paying off. Plus, Scottie Barnes is playing at an all-star level again.
How good is the 24-year-old Raptors stud, you may ask? An anonymous executive stated that he’d choose Barnes over Giannis Antetokounmpo when talking about trade scenarios. Whether Barnes will reach Giannis’ heights in the near future or not is still up for debate. But he’s getting there, no doubt.
One proof of his ascension is his being named an all-star reserve for this month’s ASG festivities. Cameras caught Barnes and his teammates’ reaction when the announcement was made inside the Raptors’ home arena.
Scottie Barnes and the Raptors finding out he's an All-Star ❤️ pic.twitter.com/MLRVySCZnj
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 2, 2026
It’s good to see that despite having a young team, Barnes’ teammates are fully hyped with his recent accomplishment. This would be Scottie Barnes’ second all-star game selection. He first made the team in 2024.
Standing at 6-foot-8, there’s no doubt that Scottie Barnes is built like a machine. Even if he’s not yet in his prime athletic years, players around the league suggested that he’s one of the strongest dudes in basketball.
However, when Celtics star Jaylen Brown tried to compliment Barnes, it backfired. He quickly owned up to it, though. “First, I didn’t know that was a thing. For Scottie, I said the comments, but I didn’t know that was something that people had already been teasing him about or something like that. So I apologize for that, for being unaware of that,” Brown said.
For context, during a previous interview, Brown stated that Scottie Barnes has an ‘extra chromosome strength.’ Sadly, his comments blew out of the gates and have become a hot topic in the league for a few weeks.
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