The Rising Star Of The New York Knicks [2024 Update]
RJ Barrett, the Canadian professional basketball player, has committed himself to New York Knicks since 2019, the start of his professional career.
He was picked third overall in the 2019 NBA Draft and, in the same year, was named for several accolades.
RJ is the son of former shooting guard Rowan Barrett who currently serves as general manager of the Canadian men’s national team.
RJ is one of the best weapons in the Knicks’ arsenal currently. However, he missed nearly two weeks of basketball due to a finger injury he sustained two minutes into the game against the Dallas Mavericks (121-126) on December 27, 2022.
Two weeks and six stitches later, he is back with the team and is making headlines with his excellent gameplay.
This article will discuss RJ Barrett, his career, education, family, and personal information. Stick with us till the end of the article.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Rowan Alexander “RJ” Barrett Jr. |
| Known As | RJ Barrett |
| Nickname | RJ |
| Birthdate | June 14, 2000 |
| Age | 23 Years Old |
| Birthplace | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Current Residence | New York, United States |
| Father’s Name | Rowan Barrett |
| Mother’s Name | Kesha Barrett |
| Siblings | Nathan Barrett |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Relationship Status | Dating |
| Girlfriend | Hailey Brown |
| Children | Not Yet |
| Built | Athletic |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Height | 6 ft. 6 in/1.98 m/198 cm |
| Weight | 214 lb./97 kg |
| Ethnicity | Jamaican |
| Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
| Profession | Professional Basketball Player |
| Education | St. Marcellinus Secondary School, Montverde Academy, Duke University |
| NBA Draft | New York Knicks: 2019 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd Overall |
| Awards & Achievements |
|
| Playing Career | 2019-Present |
| Association | New York Knicks (2019-Present) |
| Position | Shooting Guard/Small Forward |
| Shirt Number | 9 |
| Salary | $23.8 Millon |
| Net Worth | $25 Million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter, Facebook |
| Merch | Signed Photos, Signed Jersey |
| Last Update | January, 2024 |
Early Life & Education
Early Life
RJ Barrett was born Rowan Alexander “RJ” Barrett Jr. on July 14, 2000, in Ontario, Canada, to Kesha Duhaney and Rowan Barrett, a former professional basketball player.
Since his father played basketball professionally, RJ developed an interest in the sport early as a kid.
He grew up with his younger brother Nathan, who joined the prep basketball team at Montverde Academy after RJ left high school.
Aside from basketball, he was also involved in 100 meters sprinting, high jump, and football.
However, he began focusing more on basketball after struggling in a game and coming home crying once at 12.
He sometimes trained with his father’s friend and godfather, Steve Nash.
Education
RJ attended Horizon Jeunesse in Clarkson, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
He then went to St. Marcellinus Secondary School in Mississauga. However, after his parents moved to the States, he went to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, United States.
After graduating high school, RJ received an athletic scholarship from several top universities, including Indiana, Arizona, Duke, Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon, UCLA, Kentucky, Missouri, and USC.
Out of all the offers he received, he narrowed it to five, and finally, on November 10, 2017, he announced that he would go to Duke for the 2018-19 season.
And after Duke’s 2019 NCAA men’s basketball tournament loss, RJ announced his intention to forgo his final three seasons of college eligibility and declare for the draft.
Career
RJ Barrett was drafted third overall in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft.
On July 3, 2019, Barrett signed a rookie contract with the Knicks. He made his NBA debut on October 23, 2019, in a 111-120 loss to the Spurs.
Had a blast sitting down with @mrcbooz & @whoisAG21 to talk all things Draft Day on a special mini-episode of The Shop. S/o to @uninterrupted and @madebygoogle for bringing us all together, and for making sure we were all looking good in the barbershop. #SeenOnPixel #ad pic.twitter.com/ZqmgyFjkpU
— Rj Barrett (@RjBarrett6) July 1, 2022
New York Knicks announced that they exercised their third-year option on RJ on December 21, 2020.
As mentioned before, he is one of the most crucial players on the Knicks roster currently. So the team extended his stay with a four-year deal on September 1, 2022.
This made him the first player to agree to a multi-year extension after a rookie contract with the Knicks since Charlie Ward in 1999.
Awards & Achievements
The Knicks shooting guard RJ Barrett has garnered several awards for his gameplay in college, national team, and with the Knicks. Some of them are listed below.
- National high school player of the year (2018)
- FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP (2017)
- McDonald’s All-American (2018)
- Consensus first-team All-American (2019)
- First-team All-ACC (2019)
- Jerry West Award (2019)
- ACC All-Freshman team (2019)
Net Worth & Contracts
The Canadian professional basketball player RJ Barrett has a staggering $25 million net worth as of 2024.
His earnings stem from his super impressive professional career as a shooting guard for the Knicks.
Similarly, a few more million in his annual earnings can be attributed to his brand deals.
He reportedly has inked a promotion deal with the apparel and footwear deal with Puma and an endorsement deal with the Royal Bank of Canada and Indochino.
Contracts
On July 2, 2019, RJ signed a four-year rookie contract with the Knicks worth $35.60 million, including $35.59 million guaranteed and an annual average salary of $8.89 million.
Even though this contract was quite good for a rookie, his next four-year $120 million rookie scale extension that he signed on September 1, 2022, made him one of the best-paid players in the league.
Nevertheless, this extension comes into play after this season. And as per the deal, for the 2023-24 season, he earns $23.88 million in annual salary.
Dating & Social Media
We all know RJ Barrett is one of the bests Knicks got on its roster, and many Knicks fans, especially ladies, wonder whether or not he is in a relationship.
Sorry ladies, but our guy is taken. He has been together with his girlfriend, Hailey Brown, since 2018.
RJ and Brown grew up together in Canada; interestingly, she is a basketball player. Brown played for Michigan and led her team to the NCAA Championship.
Both Brown and RJ are active on social media handles, mainly Instagram.
RJ has a massive 1.1 million and counting followers on Insta, whereas Hailey Brown has 29k followers on the platform as of this writing.
Trivia
- Barrett’s father, Rowan Sr., was a Canadian national basketball team member and captained at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
- RJ is a godson to the Canadian professional basketball coach Steve Nash, who bought RJ his first crib.
- Barrett’s mother, a Brooklyn native, was a nationally-ranked St. John’s University sprinter.
Search Graph
RJ Barrett already had an athletic background, making him more explicit about choosing sports.
His graph illustrates the past 12 months’ search rate.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
What kind of sneakers does RJ Barrett wear?
RJ Barrett wears Puma Fusion Nitor ‘RJ’.
Can RJ Barrett still be traded?
While his extension does not technically restrict him from getting traded, it does present a quirk in how his salary would be counted in such a trade.
What was RJ Barrett GPA?
Aside from being a fabulous basketball player, RJ was also a scholar earning a 3.1 GPA average.
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