Toronto Raptors Media Availability | Pregame at New York Knicks | January 20, 2024

Toronto Raptors Media Availability | Pregame at New York Knicks | January 20, 2024

I don’t know yet you know I’m not I’m not there yet so I don’t know I’m just going to try to go in there have fun play hard try to get a win you know yeah I’m I’m on the Raptors now so you know it’s all about going in there and uh

Trying to get a win you’re also I’m sure expecting a lot of love from the fans it’ll be nice you know it’ be nice but like I said I’m trying to trying to focus on the game as much as I can um I’ve already said it you know I love the

Love the New York fans from from day one I still do so you know whatever happens in Garden I appreciate them regardless will it be a little weird for you coming in as a definitely weird it’s weird right now so yeah you talked about you know being in trade rumors in previous

Seasons but nothing ever happened did it feel different this timee of around did you did you think that something was going to happen um I I don’t know I just woke up and I was trading so uh no I just um since this happened um been you

Know been playing for the Raptors really excited you know I feel like I’ve been you know playing well for for the most part um just trying to continue that Trend you gave obviously the Knicks a lot over your time here was it disappointing in the way things panned

Out no I mean look look where they are you know what I mean I I feel like when you when you build something when you’re a part of you know something getting back to the playoffs after a long drought um you know then not making it then going back and winning a playoff

Series like you know those experiences with uh those people over there um coming in at 19 and then you know leaving at 23 like they definitely helped me grow up so um I’ll I’ll never forget New York I’ll never forget the place and and all the people for the

People who haven’t experienced it what’s it like to have your name chanted at MSG uh during a playoff game oh it’s crazy holy that’s the loudest thing ever and um it just it fuels you and motivates you so yeah RJ what’s it been like to

Have a quick with you how how how much that help the adjustment he’s made everything 100% easier you know just having a familiar face to come to a team with um someone who I’ve actually been close with for a while so yeah it’s been pretty good did you get a chance to see

Any of the guys last time when you got back into town N I went home try to get some stuff what has um the past three weeks been like for you like what’s the most difficult part of adjusting most difficult part of adjusting is just that

Everything was new and we had a crazy road trip so it’s like I still haven’t really leared anything yet like uh so you know I’m sure as as we get home um I’ll be able to adjust more to that but I think being on the road was was good

To be able to you know hang out with the guys and and and coaches and just kind of learn the the system more so that helped I’m sure it was shocking but to go back to Canada and to go back to your home what was that like a lot of love

You know a lot of love seeing familiar faces in the crowd seeing people in the in the arena that I I’ve known since I was a little kid um yeah it’s definitely special for sure there’s an opportunity for you to maybe expand offensively given the ball can kind of move around

More I just play basketball man you know whatever whatever happens out there I just try to do my best to help team one RJ what did you come to appreciate appreciate about the opportunity to play at Madison Square Garden like you hear visiting players all the time you know

It’s so special for them to but you were doing that every night um you know maybe it’s too early to reflect but uh no I think one thing is just the fans you know the fans and how it’s sold out every night um it’s like a it’s like a

Show the guard with all the lights and everything that goes on um so I was always appreciative of that I always loved playing in the garden uh so you know toight I’ll be a visitor I’m excited to see what that’s like audre you you’ve battled against your former

Teammates every day in practice what is it going to be like tonight to go after them and do you uh get up for it because you know you want to show them something yeah man for sure it’s going to be it’s going to be fun uh going to be really

Interesting definitely I’ve I’ve always like I’ve played against some of the guys you know that are on the team now but like I’ve never played against Julius in a game so you know that’s going to be that’s going to be cool for me what’s the biggest differences between Toronto in New York

Differences it’s a different country so that’s AIG difference it’s a different country so yeah do you have a message U I mean I know quick came out and he had a big thing to say you know is there something that you wanted to say to the organization to the fans Absolutely I’ll

I’ll post it tomorrow when you look at the the game you look at how the Knicks have been playing and and you know it’s going to be a tough match up like they’re one of the best offensive teams in the league last 10 games what’s your what is your

Mindset going in just on Purely basketball level anyone can be beat you know anyone could be beat so you just got to go in there stick to the game plan play hard and just compete it it’ll be cool just being back in the garden uh it’s where I started my career so um

Just a a lot of different emotions looking forward to the game competing uh uh I’m trying to get a win how much did RJ uh kind of soften the blow go being traded there with RJ uh it was good to have somebody that I was familiar with

That I knew already especially him going back to his hometown he could you know show me a little bit of stuff he was already familiar with and comfortable with so it was good to have somebody that I knew um that I came into the league with was pretty cool you’re

Obviously a big part of what this team wanted to do just how difficult was it when when you found out that you were traed uh wasn’t too difficult I was as asleep so uh woke up kind of really just woke up to it uh but you know once I

Woke up it was just kind of like U your whole life changes everything you know to be normal changes so um obviously difficult from that standpoint but I understand it’s a business so what’s the motivation for you coming into your old building against guys that you practiced

Every day yeah uh it’s always fun competing against people you know your friends things like that uh I think just playing against that’s really it playing against people you know is is always you always want to get the upper hand and stuff like that uh uh but you know it’ll

Be a lot of different emotions you know I’m sure when I’m on the court so uh it’ll be good I know you have nothing to compare it to except because this has been your experience but do you think playing in New York playing in front of

Those fans playing in front of like the biggest media market for your first four years does that prepare you in a spe in a in a way for what comes next yeah definitely I think um along with that going to Kentucky uh probably the biggest media Market in college

Basketball and then going to the New York Knicks probably one of the biggest media markets in sports period probably top five in sports um is just preparing me I think uh thick skin uh really tough I think mentally is prepared me and uh as a athlete that’s probably one of the

Biggest things is uh your mental preparation your mental strength uh is a lot more than just physical when you get to a pro level you you were well written in what you wrote uh why did you feel like you had to do it or wanted to do it

Um just for what the Knicks had gave to me especially the fans the organization the front office my teammates training staff it was it was a lot like just uh nothing but good you know memories Vibes and uh when when people show you you know respect and treat you right you

Have to you know say thank you and say you appreciate them from a basketball standpoint just what do you make of the opportunity in Toronto for yourself and the role that you have uh I think a lot of it is still the same for me as far as

That’s my mentality my approach to the game as far as just trying to get better each and every day um chopping with carrying water and uh continue to try to be the best person I can and best basketball player I can each day what do

You think of this next game just as on a purely basketball level I mean this team’s been one of the better def best defensive teams in the league last 10 games they’re clearly kind of on a mission and uh you know how do you assess them just as an opponent uh

They’re a good team um they’re they’re a good team they play hard play tough play together uh Julius and Jaylen been dominant offensively all year and then you know they they uh they add some good defensive players as well so uh it’ll be a good challenge good test for us from a

Business side I know you decided not to sign you you decided to bet on yourself but do you look back and realize that when you did that that this could happen I didn’t decide to bet on myself that’s what God told me to do I prayed about it

And that’s what God told me to do so um all my decisions are that’s how I make my decisions I just didn’t side toci side myself it was much more than just myself but um really just just letting God lead and guide me uh I think that’s

Been you know my mantra my whole life as far as my basketball career and uh we continue to do that do you feel do you feel any added pressure in a game against a former team to do something great in front of your fans and your old

Coaches players n not at all uh try to look at it the same game as as much as possible obviously it’s a lot different but uh just go out and play my game be aggressive uh find find shots for my teammates as well defend rebound uh and

Just going with the mindset that I’m going to make something happen what’s the most difficult part of relocating from New York New York to Toronto it’s even colder in Toronto I didn’t know it was going to be that cold I got to go buy some more jackets uh cuz it’s

Freezing like below zero you think tibs right now is like been staying up trying to find a way to to to to figure you uh close you out tonight uh I’m sure I’ll get blitzed in probably every pick and roll dribble hand off uh but n t is my

Guy he works really hard he’s always in the lab so I’m sure he’s been uh ready for this you played against OG your whole career obviously uh what why is he such a challenge as a defensive player oh I think his size is is pretty good uh

And just the way he can uh active hands uh about 67 68 can guard in multiple positions so uh pres a challenge for sure you be surprised if you see him tonight I’m sorry would you be surprised if you see him tonight he’ll guard a point guard he’ll guard um I’m not sure

I think he’ll probably go arj but you know I don’t know so we’ll see a lot of people look at the trade and say it’s a win-win for both the Knicks and and the Raptors did when you look at it do you look at it the same way do you think

Okay you know it makes sense for both teams or did you kind of look at it like I don’t know maybe you wanted to stay here I don’t know um I look at it as a business perspective side first I mean the teams both teams did what they

Wanted to do uh I’m glad to be here in Toronto had a great time in New York I’m glad to be here uh with an organization that obviously wants me to be here and uh like I said I’m just here to continue to try to get wins for the organization

And continue to try to be better on and off the floor so you’ve always looked at the big spotlight as your stage now going up against jayen what kind of matchup and and what what’s that going to mean to me well it’s it’s still basketball is still five on five at the

End of the day uh it’s not just me versus Jaylen but uh it’ll be good to go up against uh uh somebody that you know is has showed me a lot and I feel like uh I’ve showed him a lot as well when he got here so um it’ll it’ll be a good

Match up when you step into MSG tonight what do you most looking forward to um I probably say just uh probably just the energy in the building it’s going to be real high uh it it’ll be a lot of fun I think you look forward to see isah my

Son miss my son man I’m have to tell him you know it’s like an abandoned child so I have to check up on my guy are you uh emotional guy or you think the emotions uh is something that you know gets to you or no uh I don’t cry during movies

So I probably say not that much but uh this one will be it’ll be I I’m going try to cry but it it’ll be a good one for sure man you’ve talked about kind of having your own preparation when it comes to books that you read podcasts

Have you changed podcasts or books that you’re reading for this chapter of your life right now I’m I’m reading CH wood K Wilder for the third time so I’m still reading that book right now uh and my mom got me a book I think it’s called Uh

One word that’ll change your life so reading that a little bit and the Bible got to read the Bible quick one last one for me you you pointed out Randall and everything he’s meant to you and and afterwards he saying that he’d always be if you needed him what what did that

Mean to you uh it’s good talked to him last night a little bit uh uh that’s my guy to appreciate him for everything he’s done uh looking out for me uh the advice the mental uh just the mental piece like the preparation and the training uh that he’s gave me so I

Appreciate him

Players address the media ahead of tonight’s game against the New York Knicks.

0:00 Barrett
4:47 Quickley

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