YouTube Gold: “You All Owe RJ Barrett An Apology”

We’ve talked about this before, but the take on RJ Barrett last season was that he was overrated, couldn’t shoot, bad pick, etc., etc., etc.

Or blah, blah, blah. Take your pick.

It doesn't matter anymore because Barrett has pretty much shut his critics down and he’s basically done it because he’s worked his ass off.

In this video, his improvements are noted and praised, not least of all his superb defense, a skill that has greatly impressed his new coach, Tom Thibodeau.

What a lot of people are still missing though is this: he’s in a city and a building where people love to rip people apart. And he’s handled the pressure of New York beautifully - despite a tough first year.

And moving forward, they’re going to love him for that.

• Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are Bringing Toughness Back to MSG
• Odds and Ends: RJ Barrett’s Game is Boring But Efficient
• RJ Barrett’s rise from Knicks draft doubts to budding All-Star
• RJ Barrett takes exception to ‘reasonable’ Knicks playoff goal
• RJ Barrett: Tom Thibodeau ‘better be in the running’ for Coach of the Year
• There’s Good News to Spread in New York for a Change
• How Knicks’ RJ Barrett plans to get last laugh after Anthony Edwards diss
• Inside the off-season makeover that transformed RJ Barrett’s shot
• RJ Barrett gets his first NBA shot at Zion Williamson with narrative changing