NY Knicks: How can RJ Barrett reach an all-star level?

NY Knicks‘ sophomore RJ Barrett is currently in the middle of a breakout season.

RJ put up strong numbers in his rookie year, finishing top 5 in multiple rookie statistical categories, but somehow voters left him off last year’s all-rookie team.

Despite the snub, RJ Barrett has been one of the best second-year players in the league this season. In fact, in Bleacher Report’s recent 2019 NBA redraft they still had him going number 3 overall to the Knicks.

Barrett has improved significantly in multiple areas of the game.

How can RJ Barrett become the next NY Knicks’ All-Star?

This is reflected in his numbers as RJ Barrett is averaging 16.7 points and 5.9 rebounds on a 52% true shooting percentage, a nice jump from the 14.3 points and 5.6 boards on 48% true shooting percentage he averaged last year.

While that definitely looks like a nice jump it really doesn’t do RJ Barrett much justice.

Over a 26 game stretch earlier this season, RJ had been averaging 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds on a 56.7% true shooting percentage and an outstanding 46.6% from 3. Impressive to say the least.

RJ started off the year struggling mightily with his shooting so his overall stats don’t really reflect how much he has gotten better, but since that awful start, he’s been a very efficient shooter and scorer.

In his second year, RJ does many things on the court very well. After just one offseason RJ has gone from a poor 3 point shooter to a knockdown sniper from long-range.

His shooting from the free-throw line has also become respectable. RJ is also a decent playmaker, a good rebounding guard, and his defense this year has been very strong.

He’s also the second-leading scorer of a legit playoff team in the Eastern Conference so he clearly has become a very good player.

While RJ is good, at just 20 years old he still has an all-star upside.

Of course, 16-17 points per game is good but averaging over 20 is when you start to creep into All-star territory.

Barrett gets to the rim a ton but he still isn’t converting at a high rate, he takes nearly 7 shots a game within 5 feet of the basket, but only makes them in at 52%.

RJ can beat his man off the dribble easily but he needs to work on finishing driving layups better.

Against the Miami Heat earlier this season, RJ missed a layup that would have sent the game into overtime.

Jimmy Butler did contest from behind but those are the type of shots RJ has to make to be a legit all-star.

Barrett needs to go into the offseason and work on his finishing moves around the basket. If he can start finishing at about 60% within 5 feet of the basket that would be a huge jump and would help the Knicks effectively win more games.

RJ also needs to get better as a free throw shooter as 73% is solid but the elite scorers usually shoot above 80% from the line.

Once RJ hones his free throw shooting and finishing ability that will help take his game to an elite level.