Darko Rajakovic joked that if a player is truly good at three things, he’s an All-Star, but if a player thinks he’s really good at four things, he’s out of the NBA and playing in Europe.
Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic praised Scottie Barnes, saying that the 22-year-old is so good that it’s a problem.
“He’s good, but at the same time, it’s a problem. He has so many skills and things he can do at a high level,” Rajakovic told reporters after his team’s convincing 142-113 victory over Detroit.
However, the Serbian coach believes that being good at too many things could lead to an unexpected turnaround in any player’s career.
“I always say, if you’re really good at one thing in the NBA, you’ll find your contract, you’ll survive in this league. If you’re really good at two things, then you’re a real player. If you’re really good at three things – you’re an All-Star. If you think you’re really good at four things, you’re probably out of the league and playing in Europe,” Darko Rajakovic noted, amusing everyone in the press room.
“You can’t be exceptionally good at everything. That’s the problem I have because he [Barnes] is good at more things. We need to find 2 or 3 of those things that will really elevate him to the next level and become an All-Star player, which I believe he is,” Rajakovic added.
When asked to specify these 2-3 things about Barnes, Rajakovic said it’s still a process.
“We’re still figuring that out, but as you can see, he’s such a good driver to the end, really good at connecting with his teammates. Sometimes, when you play him in a position where he can set a screen and turn, a lot of things open up for us. It’s still a process; he’s only 22, and I’m a first-year coach figuring it out,” Rajakovic concluded.
This season, Barnes is averaging 20.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game in 12 appearances for the Toronto Raptors.