Two years ago, RJ Barrett was the best player on the best high school team in the country, leading Montverde (Fla.) Academy to a 35-0 record. One year later, he starred at Duke as a freshman on the most dominant team in college basketball.
Then, he was drafted by the Knicks.
Despite a standout 26-point effort Saturday night in his Madison Square Garden debut, Barrett left the building still searching for his first NBA win three games into his career after a 118-95 loss to the Celtics.
What came so easy for so long has become so hard.
“I guess there’s a first time for everything, you know?” Barrett said of the losing streak. “We’re just gonna keep working to turn it around.”
The third-overall pick received the loudest ovation in the Knicks’ pregame warm-ups, then earned even more of the crowd’s affection.
After strong outings in his first two games, the 19-year-old was sharp in the back-end of a back-to-back set, propelling the Knicks to an early 13-0 run — and a five-point halftime lead — while putting up 15 points, five rebounds and a plus-16 mark in the first half.
Barrett played a strong two-man game with Julius Randle, who found the rookie cutting through the lane on multiple possessions. Barrett could soon see the paint open up even more.
Barrett, who shot under 31 percent on 3-pointers at Duke, hit four of six from deep Saturday, and has at least temporarily quieted his greatest pre-draft criticism by making 7 of 13 treys through three games.
“He’s a stud,” coach David Fizdale said. “That’s the only way I can put it. He’s a stud.”
In the third quarter, Barrett experienced the electricity — and potential — of the Garden for the first time after blowing by Gordon Hayward on the baseline and throwing down a powerful one-handed slam.
Later, Barrett stepped outside and knocked down a crowd-igniting 3-pointer from the wing, putting the Knicks ahead 70-69 with 5:13 left in the quarter.
“Love the fans in the Garden, for sure,” said Barrett, who went 9-for-20 from the field with seven rebounds and three assists.
Then, the dejected silence that has occupied the building for most of the past two decades returned.
As the Celtics ran away with a 36-19 fourth-quarter advantage, Barrett took just two shots, while finishing with five turnovers.
“They punched us. Every game we kind of got punched. Normally we respond, but tonight we didn’t respond,” Barrett said. “It’s a whole new team. We’ve been together for a couple weeks. Maybe a month. We just gotta figure it out. What is it? Game three? It’s a long season.”
For more on the Knicks, listen to this episode of the NY Post podcast, “Big Apple Buckets”:
