3 Biggest Flaws in RJ Barrett's Game

The New York Knicks lost the Zion Williamson sweepstakes, but they got a pretty good consolation prize in the form of his Duke teammate, RJ Barrett.

While Williamson was the consensus first overall pick, many have called Barrett the most NBA-ready prospect in the class. Barrett did showcase his strengths once Williamson went down with an injury this past season, but does have some weaknesses in his game, specifically these three.

1. Handles

While Barrett was praised for his all-around game coming out of high school, he's had some issues with taking care of the ball. Barrett averaged over three turnovers per game, and many scouts have pinpointed the cause due to his high handle when he controls the ball. In order to prevent this, Barrett will have to adjust his dribbling mechanics, which could be a drawn-out process.

2. The Charity Stripe

In Duke's Elite Eight matchup against Michigan State, Barrett missed a free throw late in the game that proved to be costly. In his lone season with the Blue Devils, he accumulated a free-throw percentage of...66.5. Not ideal at all. This will be something that Barrett will have to improve at all costs. Bricking freebies at a place like Madison Square Garden simply will not fly.

3. Jumper Inefficiency

Barrett does have some shooting efficiency issues despite his reputation as a primary scorer. His pull-up jump shot from mid-range hasn't yielded the desired results, and his three-point percentage as a freshman (30.8) was far, far less than ideal considering the amount of attempts he averaged per game (6.2). Barrett does have plenty of different shots in his arsenal, but does need to refine some of them.