TORONTO — Hopefully RJ Barrett’s sౠtint on the Canadian National Team will go better than this.
Barrett made it official during a press conference at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday: Barrett said he will play for Team Ca𝕴nada in its Olympic qualifying tournament Jun♉e 23-28 that will be hosted in Victoria, British Columbia.
Barrett’s announcement came before his first game in Toronto as an NBA player, which didn’t go so swimmingly. He didn’t shoot well, going 5 of 17 — 2 of 8 from 3-point land — to finish with 16 points in 30:37. He also committed four turnovers, but had three steals, four assists and five rebounds in the Knicks’ 126-98 loss to the Raptors, his hometown team.
Despite a respiratory infection that kept him out against the Nets on Sunday, Barrett was not going to pass up a chance to face the NBA champion 🏅Raptors — the team he grew up adoring as a youngster in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga. Pe♓rhaps Barrett was too jacked.
“I had too many emotions,’’ Barrett said. “I was so happy all day. Literally the whole time before the game I was trying t𓂃o calm myself down for ⛦two hours.’’
A🉐dd in his lingering sickness and it was quite the night. “You might want to stay away from me,’’ Barrett said. “I soldiered through it. Getting a couple of days’ rest helped me.’’
Barrett’s first shot was a foray to the🥂 basket that got blocked, but he kept coming as he has all season — something that will bring a spark to the Canadian National Team. His commitment followed those of Jamal Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Pelicans rookie Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the past 24 hours.
Barrett did not play for Canada last summer and the national team floundered at the World Cup, forcing it to have to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Japan. Barrett’s father, Rowan, is gene🥂ral manager of Canada’s national team.
“One hundred percent,’’ Barrett said. “I definitely plan on playing for my country this summer. I’m very proud to say that. Try to pla🎶y every summer, as much as I can, so 100-percent planning on playing. It’s great to see everyone buying, trying to do something great for our country, try to get to Tokyo. Just really excited.
“I feel like it’s a w💧ay to serve and give back to your country. So many people, especially b📖eing a basketball player, an NBA player, so many people give to me, give to us, every day. So for us to give back and make our country proud this is one of the ways we can do that.”
Raptors coach Nick Nurse, who has been named c🃏oach of the Canadian Olympic team, said he spoke briefly with Barrett on Tuesday night.
Knicks coach David Fizdale is happy with the rookie’s decision, t𓆉oo.
“I love it,’’ Fizdale said. “I think those experiences really he𝄹lp those guys. It give♒s them an opportunity to see how other very good basketball players work and you’re playing against the best in the world.”
Barrett first visited this arena when he was 10.
“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel different,’’ Barrett said. “It feels great. So many emotions. But I can’t let my emotionဣs get in the way of what needs to be done. So as excited and happy as I am, I’ve still got a game to play, still gotꦿ a task to take care of.
“I think about all t🉐he times my dad took me to a playoff game or I was able to come watch, sit courtside and watch the Hawks play one time. To see all of that and now for me to be able to play thi♔s game it means a lot to me. I’m very excited. I’m going to have fun.’’
Barrett has had a nice start to his rౠookie season after he was the third pick in the draft, though his shooting has cooled a🦋 bit. Fizdale, however, sees great signs for the future.
“It’s his maturity,’’ Fizdale said. “He’s a very steady kid. All the guys I worked with, one thing I take from 🌼guys, if you tell them something and they apply it right away, that’s usually a guy that’s pretty special. He’s one of the guys if you show him something, he’s got it. But you have to a certain amount of focus and maturity to do that. He has that.”