Barrett embracing limelight, defence with Raptors

RJ Barrett isn't concerned the hometown limelight will wear him down.

MONTREAL – RJ Barrett isn’t concerned the hometown limelight will wear him down.

The Toronto Raptors guard/forward is instead choosing to embrace the attention.

With the Raptors in Montreal for his first training camp with the team, the 24-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., is looking forward to donning the red, white and purple jerseys he grew up watching for an entire NBA season.

“It’s crazy to me to even be in this interview. I used to watch this on TV,” Barrett said at the Université du Québec à Montréal on Wednesday. “I have a little bit more pride for it, so I’m going out there, just give my whole heart to this, give everything.

“This is my home. I have an extra desire, extra passion for it every single day. Just me being me I’m going to wake up and compete every day. So this is perfect for me.”

Toronto’s camp runs through Sunday’s preseason game against the Washington Wizards at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

Barrett, whose father Rowan Barrett played professionally in France when he was younger, took the opportunity to practise his second language in a brief scrum with the French media on hand.

On the court, the Raptors emphasized working on their defence, which ranked 26th in the league last season. Head coach Darko Rajaković expects Barrett to be a big part of the solution.