Canada already won their first two matches of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, and RJ Barrett seems to be leading the pack and turning heads with his incredible performances. However, this doesn’t really come as a surprise, as the 24-year-old is coming from an espectacular second half of last season, since he was traded from New York to Toronto.
So yes, ever since the Raptors acquired him from the Knicks in a deal for OG Anunoby, the six-foot-six athlete has been playing his best basketball. Although, he seems to be taking his game up another level at the Olympics and everyone around is noticing it.
Dwayne Wade, who isn’t easily impressed, was one of the first to express his admiration for the young forward. “When I say he is hooping, he is hooping man,” said the NBA legend during the television broadcast for the United States.
RJ Barrett is the Olympic MVP as of now, per HoopsHype’s Global Rating. pic.twitter.com/oCMSJ3B2Pf
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) July 30, 2024
Once Canada’s last game was over, the former Heat icon went on to take a photo with RJ, and posted it on social media with even more praise. “@rjbarrett has been hooping hooping,” he wrote after the Canadian led his nation in points for the second-consecutive match.
Barrett dropped in 24 points against Australia after he had produced a 23-point display against Greece last week. “It’s all within the flow of the offense,” Wade shared during the broadcast. “He’s not doing anything out of control or out of character, it’s all within the flow of the offense. So it’s a pretty style of basketball he’s playing right now.”
His own coach Jordi Fernandez also shares a similar sentiment for his pupil. “He is that guy,” he told reporters in France following his team’s victory over Australia. “Sometimes I don’t call plays for him, and he just scores, so that’s what he does.”
RJ, who is now 16-for-27 from the floor and 4-for-10 from range across two games, now has a chance to clinch the top of their group on Friday when Canada clashes against Spain at 11:15 a.m. ET.
Before the start of the Olympics, RJ expressed the importance of representing his nation at this stage and even following his father’s footsteps
Just days before Canada began their first matchup against Greece, the 24-year-old was asked about the importance of wearing his country’s badge in the sport’s most prestigious stage. “It will be an incredibly special moment for me. I’m blessed to be able to wear the Team Canada jersey on the global stage – it’s a dream come true.
“I can already feel the pride and excitement that will come with that moment. It’s not just about me, it’s about everyone back home who has supported me along the way. That anthem will remind me of all the hard work, the sacrifices, and the journey that brought me to that point. It’s going to be a special moment to share with my teammates, no doubt about it,” he assured Forbes magazine.
One thing that most people don’t know, is that RJ’s father also represented their nation in the Olympics, and even earned a medal 25 years ago. He feels the responsibility on his shoulders to live up to his dad’s legacy. “I don’t think everyone realizes my long connection with Canada Basketball. My dad played on this team. He played on the silver medal team in ‘99, so I know the history.
“There’s been some great players who have worn this jersey before us. People can call it the “Golden Age,” but that only comes true if we win a Gold medal,” Barrett expressed last week. “It’s amazing to see how much talent is coming out of Canada right now and to be a part of that movement means a lot.”
