The upcoming 2025-26 season will mark NBA year five in Scottie Barnes' career.
It's honestly crazy how fast time flies, especially in basketball, where players who were just starting out are quickly becoming seasoned veterans right before our eyes. Barnes's career took off with the ultimate highlight, earning NBA Rookie of the Year in his debut season, but the years since have been a bit of a rollercoaster. It’s not that Barnes has been playing poorly; in fact, he’s largely maintained the same level of production and consistency. Yet, after such a stellar start with that Rookie of the Year season, many expected him to take many steps forward.