Former Duke basketball guard RJ Barrett John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Duke Basketball One-And-Done Vying for First All-Star Nod

Originally posted on Duke Blue Devils on SI
By Matt Giles | Last updated Dec 10, 2024 3:02 PM ET

RJ Barrett and the Toronto Raptors (7-18) fell short of a victory over the Duke basketball product's former team on Monday night, as they recorded a 113-108 home loss to the New York Knicks (15-9).

But the 24-year-old Barrett, now in his sixth pro campaign and second with the Raptors after hearing his name No. 3 overall to the Knicks at the 2019 NBA Draft, was efficiently productive once again. He recorded 30 points, his seventh time reaching that mark this season, shooting 13-for-24 from the field, 3-for-7 beyond the arc, and 1-for-2 at the charity stripe.

The 6-foot-6, 214-pound guard and Toronto native added eight rebounds, four assists, and one steal across his 37 minutes on the floor.

Through 22 appearances this go-round, RJ Barrett is delivering career-high averages of 23.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists.

Considering those numbers, albeit for a Toronto Raptors squad sitting No. 14 out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference standings, Barrett appears to be in contention to achieve the first NBA All-Star selection of his career.

He and the Raptors, looking to snap a three-game losing streak, are now gearing up to hit the road for a bout against the Miami Heat (12-10) at 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday.

This article first appeared on Duke Blue Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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