R.J. Barrett has been the worst-kept secret out of Canadian basketball news since Andrew Wiggins. The 18-year-old is the “next big thing” to come out of the Great White North and is already drawing comparisons to NBA stars like Demar DeRozan.
Originally from Mississauga, Ontario, blue blood runs in his veins as the son of Canada Basketball icon Rowan Barrett and the godson of NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash.
Rowan Sr. is the executive vice president and assistant general manager of Canada Basketball alongside Nash, the general manager. The two played alongside each other for the 2000 Men’s National Team that qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.