RJ Barrett Provides Despondent Knicks Fans With A Desperately Needed Glimmer Of Hope

I have a confession to make, folks. Let's just keep this between us, shall we? Okay.

Here goes: I leave Taylor Swift's new album playing even after I drop off my daughter at school.

Yes, my dear Emmie asks me to play Taylor Swift's "Lover" all the time, but I could easily turn it off as soon as she's out of the car. Yet I don't. Sometimes I even turn it up. It's a good record! Honestly, I don't even skip past some songs that pop up on my playlist when I'm shooting around at LA Fitness.

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Over the weekend, I detailed many of the ills that plague the Knicks, who have stumbled to an 0-3 start this season. For New York fans, this has become an all-too-familiar theme. The Knicks have lost more basketball games than any other team over the last two decades, and recent history is even more depressing. Dating back to Christmas Day of 2017, the team is 29-107. Yes, that's 78 games below .500.

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So, what do the Knicks' struggles have to do with Taylor Swift's signing? Well, there a song on Swift's new album called "Daylight." Here's how the chorus goes:

^{"I've been sleeping so long in a 20-year dark night}

^{And now I see daylight, I only see daylight"}

Listening to those lyrics this morning, I couldn't help think of Knicks fans and their plight. For two decades now, the New York franchise has been a leaguewide laughingstock. Both on and off the floor, the team has been a joke. Since the turn of the century, Knicks fans have had so precious little to cheer about.

And while New York hoop fans haven't been able to celebrate a victory this season, it appears they do have a beacon of hope in rookie RJ Barrett. It is possible that this precocious neophyte is a much-needed ray of light at the end of a dark tunnel?

Yes, we are just a week into the 2019-20 season, but it's impossible to have watched Barrett play and not walk away impressed. Early on, he's exceeded even the most optimistic of expectations.

_{"Luck of the draw only draws the unlucky}

_{And so I became the butt of the joke}

_{I wounded the good and I trusted the wicked"}

Back in May, at the lottery drawing, when the Knicks lost the "Zion Williamson Sweepstakes" and landed the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 draft, Knicks fans had to be walked off the ledge. The unique upside and tantalizing promise of Zion's potential made any other consolation prize pale in comparison. Then, after Barret struggled mightily in his first couple of summer league games in Las Vegas, some pundits were ready to write him off as a bust. Yet, Barrett bounced back in Vegas, like a gambler that lost a few big hands early, but managed to double down and leave the desert without losing too much money.

Still, heading into the regular season, prognostications for Barrett were modest, at best. In the annual preseason NBA GM Poll, Barrett didn't receive a single vote for Rookie of the Year or the category of "rookie who will be the best player in five years."

Well, through the first three games of his NBA career, it's difficult to imagine a player getting off to a more encouraging start. In his NBA debut last Wednesday in San Antonio, Barrett, tasked with playing point guard, poured in 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, to go along with five rebounds and two steals in 37 minutes. In the process, Barrett (19 years, 131 days) became the second-youngest player in NBA history to score at least 20 points first NBA game, trailing only LeBron James (18 years, 303 days).

In Game 2, he racked up 16 points and six steals, and became the first player this century to start his career with at least 15 points and two steals in each of his first two NBA games. Only six other rookies all-time are in this unique club, including Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Lamar Odom and Dominique Wilkins.

Barrett is currently averaging a team-high 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 made 3-pointers, and 2.7 steals.

According to Basketball-Reference, only two players in league history have tallied at least 60 points, 15 rebounds and five made 3-pointers over their first three career games: Kevin Durant (2007) and RJ Barrett.

Coming in the league, the biggest knock on Barrett was his offensive inefficiency and unreliable jump shot. In that regard, the early returns are extremely positive, as he is shooting 51% from the floor and a scorching 54% from 3-point territory (7-of-13 from downtown). Not too shabby for a kid that can't shoot.

Many draft experts also criticized his lack of explosiveness, insufficient quickness and inability to blow by defenders and get to the basket, especially in half-court settings. Yet, Barrett has been able to use guile, balance, strength and feel to penetrate into the paint.

Barrett has attempted 25 shots in the restricted area this season, more than any other Knick. He also is averaging 12.7 drives per game, and 7.7 points off drives, which is tied (with Ja Morant) for most among rookies.

Yet, arguably, the most shocking revelation over the first few games of the kid's career has been his contributions on the defensive end. Defense was certainly not considered Barrett's strong suit during his days at Duke, but he's looked surprisingly competent on that end of the floor thus far, especially considering he's often been asked to check the opposing team's best perimeter player.

Last but not least, Barrett's poise and maturity that have stood out as well. For a 19-year old to be drafted onto a lousy team with a desperate fanbase in the media capital of the world, it's shocking that he seems completely unfazed by the pressure.

Of course, it's crucial to note that we are talking about a very small sample size here. Three games are only an infinitesimal portion of what will hopefully be a long career. Yes, his shooting percentages will regress to the mean.

How will the rookie respond when his shot isn't falling? How will he deal with all the losing that's surly headed his way? Remember, as a senior in high school, Barrett led the undefeated Montverde team to the Geico National boys' basketball championship. As a freshman at Duke, he drove to the Blue Devils to an ACC Tournament title. He's only lost six games in the last two years combined. In New York, he'll nearly reach that total by Halloween.

And there are undeniable flaws in his game. First and foremost, he needs to knock down his free throws. He also has to cut down on his turnovers.

In addition, Barrett played over 35 minutes in each of New York's first three contests. While it's understandable that coach David Fizdale doesn't want to take Barrett off the floor, given he's been, by far, the Knicks best all-around player, you don't want to run the kid into the ground. How will he handle it when he crashes into the rookie wall?

However, one thing is for certain, RJ Barrett has provided a desperately needed glimmer of hope for Knicks fans that have had so little to get excited about.

_{I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you}

_{I don't wanna think of anything else now that I thought of you}

_{I've been sleeping so long in a 20-year dark night}

_{And now I see daylight, I only see daylight}