New York Knicks: 2019 NBA Draft targets who stepped up on March 22

1. RJ Barrett, Duke

Slash Line: 9-for-18/2-for-4/6-for-9
Stat Line: 26 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal

For one night, RJ Barrett outshined his superstar teammates and played terrific basketball for most of Duke’s win over North Dakota State. It did not start that way, but he settled into 26 points, 14 rebounds and three assists.

The most promising part of Barrett’s stat line, he attempted just four shots from behind the arc and made two of them. It was unlike the 6.4 attempts per game from the regular season, of which he made just 30.4 percent. Prior to this game, he also shot just 4-for-20 on three-pointers over his last three appearances.

By sharing the load, Barrett played efficiently and up to expectations of a likely top-five pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He’s hardly a perfect player, given the shooting inconsistencies and ball control-heavy play (3.2 turnovers to 4.1 assists per game; 32.1 usage rate), but at 19-years-old, there’s a long road for this Canadian’s development.

The competition will stiffen as the tournament continues. Next is UCF, and a potential matchup against Virginia Tech awaits in the Sweet 16, pending they defeat Liberty. Barrett won’t have it as easy as the Bison, so his real pre-draft tests are ahead in March Madness.

Barrett could make sense for the New York Knicks in the top five. As an alpha scorer, he can slide into a team that has none, unless they sign Kevin Durant or another big name in free agency.