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R.J. Barrett named Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year

R.J. Barrett, Boys Basketball Player of the Year
R.J. Barrett, Boys Basketball Player of the Year (Gatorade/Fleishman Hillard)

R.J. Barrett, the No. 1-ranked player in the 2018 class, has been racking up awards in the past couple weeks, with the latest being the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Past winner and current Boston Celtic Jayson Tatum was on hand to surprise Barrett with the award in Florida earlier this week.

“I was just out at dinner with my family and we valeted the car. When we came out after dinner to get the car Jayson (Tatum) pulled up instead with my trophy, and I just kind of stood there shocked and surprised this was actually happening,” Barrett said.

The Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year has an impressive list of winners dating back to Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, and it’s something Barrett has been working for since he first heard of the honor.

“I can remember seeing Andrew Wiggins win the award and everything Andrew did I kind of made it a goal for myself, as well, since he was such a great player in high school,” Barrett told Rivals.com.

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Barrett is heading to Duke next year and is part of a historic recruiting class that includes Zion Williamson, Cameron Reddish and Tre Jones.

“I can’t wait for next year. It’s going to be so fun playing with those guys and just having Coach K and the rest of the coaching staff push us every day to get better. I’m excited,” Barrett added.

Tatum, a former Duke player, has seen Barrett play a handful of times and he says the forward will fit right in at Duke next year.

“RJ’s a lot taller then I expected," Tatum said. "He’s a great player and there’s a reason why he’s ranked No. 1 in the class. He can handle the ball, he’s super athletic and he can do it all. I remember seeing him on the EYBL circuit and just being impressed with the type of player he is.”

Building a team chemistry and learning a new coaching system can be a difficult adjustment for a player, but Tatum doesn’t think Barrett will have any issues adjusting to college ball.

“RJ is very coachable. He has a high basketball IQ and he’ll fit great in the Duke system. Coach K is really good about giving freedom to players and just playing to everyone’s strengths on the floor,” Tatum said.

In the event the one-and-done rule didn’t exist and players had to stay all four years, Rivals asked Jayson what basketball would be like at Duke with its respected classes.

“It wouldn’t be fair. We wouldn’t lose a game. Seriously,” Tatum said while laughing.

Harry (Giles), Frank (Jackson) would still be there with Tre (Jones), RJ (Barrett) and Zion (Williamson) coming in?" Tatum said. "Not to mention the guys there now! That would be a super team.”

All jokes aside, the freshman class coming in to Duke next year looks to be somewhat of a mini super team. An added bonus to Duke fans: All four players will be playing at the McDonald’s All American game March 28 and also at the Jordan Brand Classic April 4.

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