RJ Barrett has improved in almost every statistical category this season and is easily among the brightest young talents in the NBA, yet the 20-year-old wingman continues to be disrespected, most recently with his omission from ESPN’s list of the 25 best players under 25.
Before we go any further, let’s get one thing out of the way: it really doesn’t matter that Barrett was left off ESPN’s list. It’s merely a list that lives on the internet, and is meant to produce discussion and debate just like this. Still, the lack of proper respect for Barrett is bizarre and deserves to be examined.