RJ Barrett Shares Draft Analysis & Advice for the Raptors’ Front Office

RJ Barrett wasn’t shy about his advice for the Toronto Raptors this summer: draft Duke players.

And it might be pretty good advice too.

Duke forward Cooper Flagg is widely projected as the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, and the Raptors would gladly take him if they can cash in on their 7.5 percent chance of landing the top selection. If not Flagg, Duke center Khaman Maluach could be the best big man in the class and would fill a major need for Toronto as a young center to develop. And if both are off the board, Duke freshman Kon Knueppel could give the Raptors a polished offensive weapon with a lights-out three-point shot.

Barrett has been keeping an eye on his alma mater this season, both because of how stacked the Blue Devils were and because of Toronto’s draft position.

“I’m definitely watching some stuff more closely,” he said during his season-ending media availability. “The draft is great.”

Toronto finished the season with the seventh-worst record in the league and owns a 31.9% chance of landing a top-four pick. If the Raptors don’t move up, they have a 19.7% chance of selecting at No. 7 and a 48.4% chance of landing somewhere between No. 8 and No. 11.

The consensus is that Duke will have at least three players taken in the lottery and potentially as many as six players selected overall, with Tyrese Proctor, Isaiah Evans, and Sion James in the mix to go late in the first round or sometime in the second.

“If you want to win, want some players that will be around, be impactful for a long time, those Duke guys, man,” Barrett said. “They’re very solid. I was able to play actually against Cooper in the summer and stuff. Duke’s great.”

That said, Barrett does not plan to interfere with the Raptors’ draft plans. He acknowledged that Toronto’s front office has a strong track record when it comes to evaluating talent. It looks like they nailed their 2024 draft, with Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead, and Jonathan Mogbo all showing promise as rookies. Over the past 12 years, the front office has built a reputation for sharp scouting and smart selections.

“They have a reputation of always finding a hidden gem or finding something good,” Barrett said. “Even with Scottie, he’s a lot better than I think people thought he was going to be coming in. They just have an eye for talent.”

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