Before Canadian RJ Barrett played a single game at Duke, he was considered a potential NBA No. 1 draft prospect. Through his first 10 games as a Blue Devil, he’s only cemented his status as one of basketball’s best prospects.

The Barrett Show continues tonight as Duke takes on Princeton. Catch the game LIVE at 6 p.m. ET on TSN2, TSN.ca, the TSN App and on TSN Direct.

Barrett and fellow freshman standout Zion Williamson have been as good as advertised. With the team currently ranked No. 2 in the nation behind the Kansas Jayhawks, TSN.ca takes a look at how Barrett and the Blue Devils have fared through their first 10 games of the season.

 

What the numbers say

Let’s start with the basics. Barrett is averaging 24.2 points per game, good for the highest mark among players from the Associated Press’ top 25-ranked schools. Probably his most impressive outing of the season came on Dec. 1 against Stetson when he scored 26 points on 12-of-14 shooting in just 17 minutes of action.

Barrett is shooting an efficient 47.9 per cent from the field and 37.3 from beyond the arc in 31 minutes a night. Throw in an average of 7.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists and it’s clear to see why Barrett is lauded for his all-around game, not just his scoring.

 

Through 10 games

 
Player Minutes FG% 3P% FT% REB AST BLK STL PTS
Barrett 31 .479 .373 .633 7.2 4.2 0.5 1.0 24.2
Williamson 26.3 .661 .143 .667 9 2.4 2 2.1 20.4
 

 

Fantastic Freshmen

The 18-year-old’s start has been historic. His 242 total points are most by a Duke freshman through the first 10 games of their career, outpacing other lottery picks such as Jabari Parker (220), Marvin Bagley III (220), Williamson (204) and Jahlil Okafor (174).

The one-and-done approach is becoming increasingly common. Since Corey Maggette left Duke after his freshman season, 15 others have followed -- including 12 since 2014. Players can't officially declare for the NBA Draft until after the season but both Barrett and Williamson are fully expected to take the one-and-done approach.

Here is a look at how they’ve stacked up so far against other Duke freshmen. 

 

Barrett, Williamson so far vs. other one-and-dones

 
Player Year REB AST PTS Team Record
Corey Maggette 1999 3.9 1.5 10.6 37-2
Luol Deng 2004 6.9 1.8 15.1 31-6
Kyrie Irving 2011 4.3 3.4 17.5 32-5
Austin Rivers 2012 3.4 2.1 15.5 27-7
Jabari Parker 2014 8.7 1.2 19.1 26-9
Jahlil Okafor 2015 8.5 1.3 17.3 35-4
Tyus Jones 2015 3.5 5.6 11.8 35-4
Justise Winslow 2015 6.5 2.1 12.6 35-4
Brandon Ingram 2016 6.8 2.0 17.3 25-11
Jayson Tatum 2017 7.3 2.1 16.8 28-9
Frank Jackson 2017 2.5 1.7 10.9 28-9
Harry Giles 2017 3.8 0.3 3.9 28-9
Marvin Bagley III 2018 11.1 1.5 21.0 29-8
Trevon Duval 2018 2.0 5.6 10.3 29-8
Gary Trent Jr. 2018 4.2 1.4 14.5 29-8
Wendell Carter Jr.  2018 9.1 2.0 13.5 29-8
RJ Barrett 2019 7.2 4.2 24.2 9-1
Zion Williamson 2019 9.0 2.4 20.4 9-1
 

Compared to other Canadian freshmen Jamal Murray (Kentucky, 2015-16) and Andrew Wiggins (Kansas, 2013-14) through their first 10 games, Barrett's numbers stand out. Wiggins averaged 15.9 points a night on 48.1 per cent from the field while Murray poured in 15.5 on 39.4 per cent shooting. Barrett is also out-pacing the pair in assists and rebounds. 

 

Keys to success

A key ingredient for Mike Krzyzewski’s club is their speed and athleticism in the transition game. Duke is averaging 27.0 points per game on the break this season, good for third-most in Division I. Despite Williamson’s highlight-reel dunks, Barrett has led the way in transition this year. The Mississauga, Ont., native is averaging a Division I-best 9.1 transition points per game, nearly as many as Duke allows as a team (10.2). Williamson is a distant second at 4.4 while freshman Cam Reddish takes third with an average of 3.5.

The only Achilles heel thus far has been Duke’s offence against zone defences. While Williamson is shooting 71 per cent (12-for-17) against the zone, the other freshmen have struggled. Barrett’s total sits at 39 per cent (12-for-31) and Tre Jones (29 per cent, 4-for-14) and Reddish (0-for-10) have been far worse. 

 

Duke vs. Princeton

Duke and Princeton’s battles over the years have been lopsided – if they can even be called battles. Duke is 18-1 all-time against the Tigers including five straight wins. The only time they took down the Blue Devils was way back in December of 1981 under legendary coach Pete Carril, upsetting Duke 72-55.

The Tigers are 5-4 this season, but have not yet played a top 25-ranked team. Meanwhile, Duke’s only loss of the season came against eighth-ranked Gonzaga.