Houston Rockets: Ranking history's recent third-overall picks

5. RJ Barrett, 2019

Okafor was a bust. Spoiler alert: everyone else on this list has justified their selection at three. Then, there's Barrett.

If you think he's a bust, you're entitled to that opinion. Barrett's career BPM of -2.1 reflects poorly on his career to date. Does it fairly capture him as a player?

We're not sure. It's worth noting that across 32 games with the Raptors in 2023-24, Barrett had a positive BPM (0.1). Is it possible that he merely needed a change of scenery?

Time will tell. The Knicks felt like a poor developmental environment for Barrett. They marched into win-now mode at the expense of his developmental reps. With the Raptors taking a longer view, Barrett may still grow into his game. It feels like he's been around forever, but he's only 24.

For now, he's the second-worst third-overall pick in recent history.

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