RJ Barrett took a hard spill on Thursday night and suffered a sprained ankle. He was on crutches in the locker room after the game.
NEW YORK, NY—RJ Barrett was hobbling around in the New York Knicks‘ locker room after spraining his ankle in the third quarter of the team’s 121-98 loss to the Phoenix Suns.
.@RjBarrett6 seems to have twisted his ankle and exits the game.
Prayers up for the rook ? @nyknicks pic.twitter.com/RBOjMkB0We
— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) January 17, 2020
He tried to stay in the game and, admirably, shot his free throws after going down on the Ricky Rubio foul. Barrett split the pair of free throws and tried to play defense on the next possession before calling it a night.
“I tried to run down on the other end, but then I tried to play defense and it hurt too much on both sides so I decided to call it,” Barrett said while propped up by crutches in front of his locker after the game.
An injury is something new for the 19-year-old. “It hurts. I’ve never really been hurt before,” added Barrett.
“I don’t remember the last time I really missed a game, but I feel like it was bound to happen. We play so many games, it was bound to happen.”
For what it’s worth, Barrett missed a game earlier this season against the Brooklyn Nets, but that was due to an illness. His postgame comments were more in reference to missing a game because of an injury.
The Knicks plan to reevaluate Barrett’s ankle on Friday. They’re set to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night in Madison Square Garden. Whether or not Barrett will be able to suit up is still up in the air.
