Through two games at the Olympics, the play of RJ Barrett has been a welcomed sight for fans of Canada Basketball and the Raptors alike.
With Canada in the Olympic tournament's vaunted Group A, Barrett has stepped up to help lead the team to wins over Greece and Australia. With NBA MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drawing plenty of attention, it is Barrett who has been Team Canada's leading scorer through two games, making the most of his debut on the Olympics stage.
Against Greece, Barrett scored a team-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, while making a nice bit of history in the process. With his performance, he joined his father, Rowan , on the list of Canadians to score 20-plus points in their Olympic debut.
Barrett did more of the same against Australia, scoring a game-high 24 points while displaying supreme confidence and receiving the praise of analyst Dwyane Wade in the process.
Here's more on Barrett's latest performance at the Olympics and what it could mean for Team Canada — and the Raptors — moving forward.
MORE: RJ Barrett steps up as Canada pulls away from Australia in Olympic group play
RJ Barrett stats today
Barrett led all scorers against Australia with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. After joining his dad in the record book Saturday, Barrett joined his godfather in the record book Tuesday.
When your name is mentioned with Steve Nash's, you're doing something right.
More than just scoring, Barrett's rebounding and playmaking are a sign that he is doing some of everything for Team Canada at these Olympics.
But let's talk about the scoring first.
Barrett's confidence was on full display as he scored in a variety of ways. His shot chart shows a healthy diet of finishes in the lane in addition to perimeter shooting, as he shot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Barrett also got to the charity stripe, where he shot 5-of-6 from the line.
Through two games at the Olympics, Barrett is averaging 23.5 points per game while shooting 59.3 percent from the field, 40.0 percent from 3-point range and 91.7 percent from the free throw line. It's an extremely small sample size but is a continuation of his impressive shooting splits over his 32 games with Toronto last season.
The growth in Barrett's game is evident — he was an improved rebounder and playmaker as a Raptor as well. That those leaps are sticking with Team Canada should be a sign of encouragement that they are sustainable and can be counted upon for the remainder of the Olympics and the upcoming NBA season.
MORE: Why Jamal Murray isn't starting for Canada at the Olympics
Barrett recently turned 24 and, as indicated numerous times by team president Masai Ujiri, is a key piece of the Raptors core for the future. The sustainability of the efficiency of his three-level scoring should do a lot to inspire confidence in his role alongside Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley.
Before looking too far ahead, it's important to focus on the matter at hand, which is medaling at the Olympics. If Barrett can keep this up, Canada has its answer as a second option after Gilgeous-Alexander, in turn relieving pressure on Jamal Murray and others who have been counted upon to step up.
As Barrett's shown through two games, a little confidence goes a long way.
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