Toronto Raptors wing RJ Barrett on Friday spoke to reporters for the first time following the tragic death of his younger brother, Nathan Barrett.
Nathan died on March 12, a day after the Raptors’ March 11 contest against the Denver Nuggets. RJ hasn’t played since.
The Raptors swingman is back with the team, but his exact return to the Raptors’ lineup remains unclear. RJ bared his emotions to the media Friday after practicing with the team.
“It’s a hard time, for sure,” RJ told reporters. “He was my best friend. I’m always missing him. I still text him. I still call him sometimes; I don’t know why. But I’m thankful for all the support from everybody and definitely from the Raptors.
“He was the best, man. I got basketball but he got everything else. … Whatever he put his mind to, he could do.”
Whenever the Barrett bros would hoop, RJ joked that he'd always win. "(Nathan) would be mad. He would foul me. He would be saying I'm cheating and all that stuff."
"He was the best, man. I got basketball but he got everything else… Whatever he put his mind to he could do."
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) March 29, 2024
RJ said that being around his teammates again has helped him immensely. The Duke alum also added that his brother would probably have wanted him to return to the court and continue building up the Barrett family legacy.
An emotional RJ Barrett spoke to the media today for the first time since the passing of his younger brother Nathan on March 12th: pic.twitter.com/D49eKuYXUc
— Lindsay Dunn (@LindsayDunnTV) March 29, 2024
Nathan, like his older brother, played at the renowned Montverde Academy in Florida. The 6’1″ guard was studying to become a pilot.
The exact cause of death was not shared. It was reported that Nathan had been ill for weeks prior to his death.
