Just like the rest of the league, RJ Barrett and the Toronto Raptors surely want what the New York Knicks just had –a downtown NBA championship parade.
During media day on Monday, the former Duke Blue Devils star Barrett shared his true feelings on seeing his former team, the Knicks, end a drought that lasted over five decades by beating Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the 2026 NBA Finals.
“I still have a lot of friends over there. I was happy for them,” Barrett told reporters, via Omer Osman
“I got drafted there. The team was horrible. I been to the playoffs twice over there. Definitely was able to have a small part in them getting to where they are now. I felt a little pride in that,” added Barrett, who is entering his fourth season with the Raptors.
Article Continues BelowBarrett previously admitted that he felt some “saltiness” after he was traded by New York to the Raptors in 2023, but he's completely over it now, as he looks forward to helping Toronto capture an NBA title.
“The Mayor [Zohran Mamdani ] shouted out [Immanuel Quickley] and I. Have a little pride in just being able to help something like that,” said the 26-year-old Barrett
“It definitely motivated to get the job done over here.”
Toronto made quite a leap in the 2025-26 season, as the team made the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2022. The Raptors failed to advance past the the first round, but it was undeniably a step in the right direction overall for Toronto, which is a force to reckon with again in the East, especially with Kawhi Leonard running it back with the R