RJ Barrett hates being called the “Maple Mamba” in comparison to the late, great Kobe Bryant.
Now, while I would never call the Knicks’ young wing by that nickname to his face, I will at least say this much. If he wants to distance himself from the Mamba label, maybe he should do a better job of, you know, not channelling Bryant on the court.
Barrett, who the Knicks drafted third overall back in 2019, is off to the best start of his career in 2023-24, his fifth season. The former Duke Blue Devil is averaging 22.