RJ Barrett Returns to New York as a Visitor with the Raptors
RJ Barrett, the Toronto native and former Knicks player, has returned to the New York area with the Raptors. However, on his first night back in town, he was unable to meet up with any of his former teammates. Barrett joked about going home to get some of his stuff instead. He and Immanuel Quickley were traded in the middle of a Knicks road trip last month, waking up in their hotel rooms to the news that they had been dealt to the Raptors. This trade landed the Knicks OG Anunoby. Barrett played six of his first seven games with the Raptors away from Scotiabank Arena before returning to Canada for three games. He is now set to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden for the first time in his career.
The Raptors held their morning shootaround at the NBA Players Association’s headquarters in Midtown due to St. John’s facing Marquette at MSG in the afternoon. Barrett expressed uncertainty about what to expect upon his return to MSG but stated that he would go in, have fun, play hard, and try to secure a win for the Raptors. He admitted that it felt weird to be back in New York as a visiting player and expressed his desire to receive some love from his former home fans.
Barrett cherished the fans during his time with the Knicks, particularly the sold-out games at Madison Square Garden. He appreciated the atmosphere and the support he received from the fans. Despite being a visitor now, he still holds a deep appreciation for them. One of his favorite memories was the Garden fans chanting his name during last spring’s playoffs.
While the Knicks found success with Anunoby in their lineup, winning eight of their first ten games, Barrett has been performing well with the Raptors. He has averaged 20.2 points per game in his first ten appearances with the team, a slight improvement from his 18.2 points per game with the Knicks this season. Barrett recalled the loud chants from the Garden fans, describing them as crazy and motivating.
Immanuel Quickley, who finished second in last season’s Sixth Man of the Year award voting, has been starting for the Raptors since the trade. He is averaging 18.0 points and 5.2 assists per game. Quickley expressed his gratitude to the Knicks fans and organization in a lengthy post on The Players’ Tribune. Barrett plans to do something similar on social media, but he will post it the day after the game.
Quickley admitted that Saturday’s return visit to Madison Square Garden might evoke some emotions from him, although he typically does not get emotional. He hopes to hold back tears during the game.
