Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes talks to reporters at a news conference following a pre-playoff practice at the Ovo Centre in Toronto, on April 15.J.P. MOCZULSKI/THE GLOBE AND MAIL
It was hard not to notice Scottie Barnes bouncing with excitement on opening night back in October. The Toronto Raptors rookie, noted by many for his effervescent smile and exuberant bear hugs, flashed an abundance of both as he dashed into Scotiabank Arena when his name was called, met the Toronto faithful, and joined his new teammates.
Many wondered if Barnes could sustain that bottomless energy throughout his first 82-game NBA season. The fourth-overall draft pick has since started 74 games for the Raptors. So does the 20-year-old still exude that level of daily pep in mid-April?
“Well, I got a big hug from him this morning if that’s any indication,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said with a laugh in his Friday news conference before the team travelled to Philadelphia for Saturday’s playoff opener against the 76ers. “So he’s still got it going into Game 1.”
The youngster from West Palm Beach, Fla., quickly became an essential part of the Raptors rotation, and averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Nurse has counted on Barnes to play various roles for a team that suffered lots of injuries. He shouldered a heavy workload – 35.4 minutes a game – while helping the Raps to a No. 5 playoff seed.
He stands 6-foot-8 with a wingspan of 7 feet 3 ½ inches. He achieved a rarity by passing two big milestones in his first year – 1,000 points and 500 rebounds – making Barnes a leading contender for the NBA’s rookie-of-the-year award.
Now, Barnes faces his next test: get the job done under the spotlight of the NBA postseason.
“I’m going into my first playoffs with people I love to be around, so I’m excited,” Barnes said. “I’m just having fun each and every day.”
He got off to a hot start this season, becoming just the third Raptor to score 300 points in his first 20 games (308, actually) – joining Damon Stoudamire (317) and Vince Carter (312). He was selected to play in the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA all-star weekend.
“We just saw him getting stronger, more physical, more energetic, more hugs,” Nurse said. “He shares the basketball, he really competes, he loves the game. You do those three things and a lot of teammates are going to let you fit in. He guards, he’ll do some some of the dirty work as well. I think just the biggest thing is he’s got a good personality and good character.”
Scottie Barnes dunks the ball against the Houston Rockets at Scotiabank Arena.John E. Sokolowski/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters
Barnes had never been a high-volume scorer, so Nurse was curious when the year began to see where he’d find his buckets; Barnes didn’t have one signature way that he scored.
“He just gets it in like all kinds of little unique ways – a put-back here, the lookaway shot there, a drive here or a fast-break bucket. There are a couple of free throws, a three-ball there, you know it kind of just compiles, this little thing, to get his 15, 18 points,” Nurse said. “Our thing for him all year was just keep finding those, find more of them.”
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Barnes’s rookie season has included an eclectic mix of everything from explosive dunks to spin moves and sky hooks, playmaking for others and aggressiveness on the glass. Defensively, he’s spent time guarding stars including Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum and James Harden.
“What’s impressed me? Just about everything,” said Toronto’s all-star guard, Fred VanVleet. “He’s just a special kid, man. He’s extremely talented.
“I think early on, he was trying to get it all at once and just trying to find his way. He really found a way to play off the other guys. He’s one of those guys who you could probably give him the ball every play and get something good, but I think he’s found a real talent in playing off Pascal [Siakam] or playing off of myself, or using us as bait and decoys.”
VanVleet said the Raptors give the rookie loads of freedom to be creative, and his attention to detail is always growing.
“He’s been a tremendous piece for us,” VanVleet said. “And I think he’ll be big going forward.”
This week, 76ers coach Doc Rivers had high praise for Barnes ahead of the series.
“He’s amazing,” Rivers said to Philadelphia reporters. “He was good on film, but he’s way better in person. ... He’s a good player, he doesn’t act like it. If you saw Scottie Barnes and didn’t know he was a rookie, you would swear he’s been in the league for 10 years.”
Before the draft, Barnes played a single season at Florida State University. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference freshman of the year, and its sixth-man of the year. He also helped the United States win gold medals at the U17 World Cup in 2018, and the U16 FIBA Americas tournament in 2017.
Throughout his basketball journey, Barnes has been a hugger. Barnes wasn’t shy to be himself, even as a rookie joining a team with experienced NBA champs such as VanVleet.
“I was scared to give Fred a hug, but he hugged me right back,” Barnes said.
He called VanVleet’s hugs “heartwarming,” and rhymed off some other top huggers on the team, from Justin Champagnie to Isaac Bonga and OG Anunoby (who says that Barnes is also very funny).
Does anyone not like a Scottie Barnes hug?
“Not really,” he said. “Everybody gives me back the hugs.”