Since being drafted fourth overall, Scottie Barnes has experienced an uneven developmental path – winning Rookie of the Year in 2022, earning an All-Star selection in 2024, but also taking noticeable steps back in his second and fourth seasons.
Now in his fifth year, Barnes is performing at an All-Star level once again, leading Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca to explore whether the 24-year-old is entering the territory of true superstardom.
Grange highlights how rare the player’s current statistical production is.
Across NBA history, only Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Garnett, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have managed to maintain Barnes’ present per-game averages – 19.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.4 steals – over the course of a full season.
That level of across-the-board contribution places him in elite company. On top of that, Barnes is shooting an efficient 50.0% from the field and nearly 39% from beyond the arc, further signaling how well-rounded and impactful he’s been to start the year.
All of this raises the question of whether Barnes is beginning to unlock the ceiling many believed he had when Toronto drafted him – and whether this is the season he finally breaks through as a true franchise-level star.
Raptors Notes: Ingram, Barnes, Mahlalela, Mamukelashvili https://t.co/oeOB7xBEie pic.twitter.com/GoZtUhM84z
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 20, 2025
