Among the first presents baby R.J. Barrett received was a crib set from two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash of Victoria.
The story comes full circle as Barrett, the projected No. 1 pick for the 2019 NBA draft, will make his senior national team debut against China in the Pacific Rim Classic on Friday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver and Sunday at 5 p.m. at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria.
Toronto鈥檚 Barrett, entering NCAA play at Duke as a freshman this fall, was added to the otherwise NBA-tinged, all-professional Canadian roster on Monday.
鈥淚鈥檓 now R.J鈥檚 dad,鈥� quipped Basketball sa国际传媒 assistant GM and vice-president Rowan Barrett, during a recent news conference in Victoria.
Nash and the elder Barrett, who played together with sa国际传媒 at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, became close friends.
And Nash is R.J. Barrett鈥檚 godfather.
鈥淎s a parent, I am excited for him,鈥� said the elder Barrett. 鈥淚鈥檓 giving him all my knowledge.鈥�
But that only goes so far because Rowan Barrett never made it to the NBA and never treaded at the heady heights his son is at. But Nash certainly has.
鈥淎 godfather like Steve can give tutelage and teach [R.J.] things I don鈥檛 know he is walking into,鈥� said Rowan Barrett.
Six-foot-seven guard Barrett led sa国际传媒 to the gold medal at the FIBA U-19 World Cup. They were named the Canadian team of the year for 2018 as voted on by the member newspapers of the Canadian Press
鈥渟a国际传媒 has the most players in the NBA outside of the U.S. We want to see that talent come to fruition,鈥� said Barrett.
The Pacific Rim exhibition set against China in Victoria and Vancouver is to ready sa国际传媒 for key Americas regional qualifying games this summer for the 2019 FIBA World Cup, out of which seven teams will qualify directly to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. China, managed by former NBA great Yao Ming, receives an automatic berth into the 2019 World Cup as host.
鈥淲e are 3-1 so far in group play and this is a vital first step for us,鈥� said Barrett, as sa国际传媒 prepares for the World Cup qualifiers June 29 in the Dominican Republic and July 2 against the U.S. Virgin Islands in Toronto.
The qualifiers roster for sa国际传媒 includes six NBA players with Kamloops鈥� Kelly Olynyk of the Miami Heat, Khem Birch of the Orlando Magic, Chris Boucher of the champion Golden State Warriors, Dillon Brooks of the Memphis Grizzlies, Cory Joseph of the Indiana Pacers and Dwight Powell of the Dallas Mavericks. Birch and Joseph will not be available for the Pacific Rim.
