Canada’s U19s welcomed home

RJ Barrett couldn’t help but take a friendly jab at his father when asked about his impact on his basketball career.

The 17-year-old son of Rowan Barrett — a former standout on Canada’s men’s basketball team — arrived at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on Monday night with a gold medal around his neck from the FIBA under-19 World Cup in Cairo.

The Canadians toppled Italy 79-60 in Sunday’s final after upsetting the powerhouse United States 99-87 a day earlier, handing the Americans their first loss at the tournament in six years.

RJ, from Mississauga, Ont., averaged 22 points per game (and poured in 38 against the U.S.) to earn MVP honours while leading Canada to its first ever world title in any age group.

“I mean, I don’t think my dad can say he beat the U.S. so I’ve got that on him,” RJ told a throng of reporters, glancing at his father a few feet away with a sly grin.

The elder Barrett had been beaming moments earlier as his son made his way through a crowd of chanting fans, friends and family to embrace him. He didn’t seem to mind the jab, but RJ switched gears anyway, speaking instead about the lessons he’d learned from his father.

“With my dad, when I was growing up I saw the amount of work that he put in,” RJ said. “There’s always people coming behind trying to take your spot and I don’t want anyone to take my spot.”

A star on the rise, the younger Barrett could be the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

He called the FIBA gold medal the top honour he’s achieved in his basketball career to date. But there’s a lot more he wants to achieve.

“Pretty simple — go to college, go to the NBA, be a star,” Barrett said of his goals.