EMERSON, Ga. -- The top-ranked prospect in the 2019 Rivals150, R.J. Barrett isn't doing much talking about his recruitment, but that doesn't mean it's not on his mind. Barrett has big plans and is soaking everything in.
At the EYBL, Barrett has been spectacular during two outings watched by Rivals.com. On Friday night he had a triple double of 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. He followed that up on Saturday morning with 41 points and 10 rebounds to help his U Play Canada team earn a win.
What has stood out the most is the amount of time Barrett has spent handling the ball and making plays off the dribble.
"I feel like my role is the same here as it is at Montverde but it's AAU," Barrett told Rivals.com. "There are a lot more possessions, there are a lot more point and there is a lot more of everything happening in the game.
"It's just trying to play the right way all the time. If the instinct is to pass, that's what you do. The game is instinct."
Some of college basketball's heavyweights like Arizona, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Oregon, USC, Texas, Stanford, UConn and Louisville among others have been said to be showing interest. However, Barrett isn't yet focusing on the recruiting side of things in terms of having a lot of personal contact with coaches.
That being said, the time to think recruiting isn't all that far off.
"I think it's going to start in August," said Barrett. "Really what I'm looking for is whether or not my parents are ok with it and have a good feel and we feel like I can play. I want to have good chemistry with the coach and all of those things.
"I really feel I can play any style of basketball. So it's going to be up to more things like the coach and stuff like that."
Locked in pretty solidly as the top prospect in the class of 2019, Barrett has lots of people pulling at him for one thing or another. But, he wants to play at the highest level and for now he's staying focused on the big prize.
"Where I'm trying to go it (attention) is going to happen anyway," said Barret. "I just try to think of it as something that comes along with those possibilities that I have in the future."
