Canadian Connection: RJ Barrett cherished playing against Jamal Murray

Barrett said a highlight of his rookie season was playing against fellow Canadian Jamal Murray.

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New York Knicks rookie R.J. Barrett said a highlight of his rookie season was facing off against fellow Canadian Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets.

Together, Barrett and Murray represent two integral pieces of Canadian basketball and were both set to play in the qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Of course, the Olympic Games have since been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Barrett hosted a Q&A on Twitter on Sunday as part of the “NBA Together” campaign and said Murray was his favorite Canadian player to face this season.

“I got to play against Jamal Murray, that was great,” Barrett said. “I remember playing 1-on-1 against him when I was younger and he would always beat up on me. To go up against him in an NBA game was great.”

Barrett recorded nine points, five assists and three steals during his first meeting against Murray on Dec. 5 while he had seven points in the second meeting on Dec. 15 — both of which were losses. Conversely, Murray scored 14 points in each game against the Knicks.

Canada has burst onto the basketball scene in recent memory. The country has produced 16 NBA players, the most from a non-U.S. country ever on opening-night rosters. That number even expands to 20 with the inclusion of two-way contract players.

With Barrett and Murray among the Canadian players in the NBA, the country appears to have a bright future in future competitions once international play continues.

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