Wednesday’s matchup between the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets was an opportunity for Nets coach Steve Nash to face off against his godson in RJ Barrett of the Knicks. After the game, the rookie coach opened up about his mixed feelings about having to play against someone he considers to be family.
In his post-game interview, Nash admitted that he’s always going to be rooting for Barrett (h/t SNY on Twitter):
“I pray for every shot of his to go in”
Steve Nash talks about watching his godson RJ Barrett play and develop for the Knicks: pic.twitter.com/INzRdH4Lv9
— SNY (@SNYtv) January 14, 2021
Nash had nothing but praise for his fellow Canadian:
“You know with RJ it’s weird coz I pray for every shot of his to go in,” Nash said of Barrett. “And tonight we were playing against him it puts that in a perilous position. But it’s a pleasure to watch him grow and continue to develop. He’s still 20 years old and just finding his footing in this league. He’s got a lot of tool sand talent and most importantly he’s a tough cookie, so it was a special experience for me to coach against him and I’m always rooting for him. It’s been a joy for me to watch him develop and play.”
It was Nash and the Nets that emerged with a victory in this one, 116-109, but it also featured quite a performance from Barrett. The second-year shooting guard finished with 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting, to go along with one triple, five rebounds, three assists, and zero turnovers in 38 minutes of play.
RJ Barrett is in the midst of a breakout year for the Knicks, and despite being on the opposing team, we all know that Nash will always be cheering for his godson.
