Magic impressed by Barnes: He has a lot of 'Showtime' in him
Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame point guard Magic Johnson sees a lot of himself in Scottie Barnes.
In particular, Johnson compared Barnes' brand of basketball to the "Showtime" Lakers of the 1980s.
"There's definitely a lot of 'Showtime' in him," Johnson told the Toronto Star's Murtz Jaffer. "He can do everything on the basketball court, much like myself."
Like Johnson, the Toronto Raptors rookie stands at 6-foot-9 and can run the point, allowing him to take advantage of passing lanes shorter players might not be able to see. In addition to both players having similarly infectious personalities, Johnson and Barnes are also known for being versatile defenders who can play multiple positions and wreak havoc in transition.
"He's big. He's strong. He's physical," Johson added. "He can make his teammates better like I was able to do, and he's a matchup nightmare like I was."
Barnes is among the three finalists for this season's Rookie of the Year award. The Florida State product finished the regular season ranked in the top five among rookies in points (1,134), rebounds (557), assists (256), steals (80), and blocks (55).