The Toronto Raptors have selected Scottie Barnes with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Welcome to the family, @ScottBarnes561 ! #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/68IrCYX89D
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 30, 2021
Barnes, a 6-foot-8 forward from Florida State University, racked up the accolades during his lone college season, earning Third Team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman, ACC Freshman of the Year and ACC Sixth Man of the Year honours after averaging 10.3 points, a team-high 4.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game.
Get to know the newest member of the Raptors through a few fast facts…
Who is Scottie Barnes? Fast facts on the newest member of the Toronto Raptors
Scottie Barnes was born on Aug. 1, 2001, and will celebrate his 20th birthday just days after the draft.
A native of Florida, Barnes began his high school career at Cardinal Newman in Ft. Lauderdale and, after two seasons at Ft. Lauderdale's University School, concluded his prep career at Montverde Academy, where he played alongside 2021 No.1 overall pick Cade Cunningham as well as No. 14 overall pick Moses Moody and 2021 draft prospect Day'Ron Sharpe.
A five-star recruit, Barnes was the No. 5 prospect in the 2020 recruiting class per ESPN , choosing Florida State over offers from California, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Miami among others.
At Florida State, Barnes thrived in a reserve role, coming off the bench in 17 of the 24 games in which he appeared. Barnes posted averages of 10.3 points, 4.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field on 8.1 field goal attempts per game.
In his final mock draft, NBA.com's Kyle Irving had Barnes slated as a top-five pick, describing him as "a point guard in a forward's body, acting as a floor general in his one season at Florida State. He has above-average ball handling and playmaking skills for a player at his position - a true point forward in every sense of the term.
"Prototypical defensive-minded forward for the modern NBA. Size and strength with a 7-foot-2 wingspan make him a small-ball center option at the next level. Scoring ability still needs work. A raw but promising prospect who could flourish with proper development."
There's no secret that the Raptors have one of the league's best player development staffs, meaning Barnes could very well tap into his potential with his new team. Alongside players like OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet, Barnes' defensive potential alone is downright scary to think about.
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