LOS ANGELES—Cory Joseph knows better than almost anyone what RJ Barrett is going through — and one of the grand old men of Canadian NBAers has no doubt the newest Raptor will be just fine.
Now in his 13th NBA season and first with the Golden State Warriors, Joseph once was what Barrett is: a high-profile local playing for his hometown team.
Joseph handled it well in 160 games spread over two seasons with the Raptors from 2015-17. He’s got a suspicion Barrett’s going to be equally adept at filling the role of a big-time piece of the team he grew up cheering for.
“RJ’s got that outgoing personality so they’re gonna love him; everybody gonna soak that up,” Joseph said before Barrett lit up the Warriors with 37 points in Toronto’s victory Sunday night.
Joseph feels that way because this is neither Barrett’s first NBA gig nor his first big-time media market, arriving in Toronto after four-plus seasons in New York.
“When you first get drafted, you’re trying to figure out the league. It’s rough, the stuff outside the league,” Joseph said. “That could have been a lot if he got drafted there. But since he didn’t get drafted there, he went to New York, he kind of figured out his NBA routine.
“It should be the same type of routine basketball-wise, so he should be able to adjust quicker there."
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Barrett’s experience in the game will keep what’s most important a priority.
“You’re from the area, you’re gonna want to do more. You know people, you walk down the street, you know a bunch of people there just from growing up there. It’s a big city but a small city at the same time,” said Joseph, who certainly felt the tugs from off the court.
“You feel a little more pressure that’s not really put on from people around me, maybe just from myself. I wanted to do more, I guess.
“At times you've got to, obviously, relegate that in terms of playing basketball. You gotta make the main focus the main focus, of course.”
If he thinks Barrett’s got a “big” personality, it’s not at all different from Joseph’s. The veteran guard is gregarious, seems to be always accepting of his role and the kind of consummate professional all teams need.
The Warriors, with more than a few veteran leaders, probably didn’t need another old head on the bench, but the 32-year-old Joseph came too highly recommended to pass up.
“When we signed him, I called (San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich) because … obviously the Spurs drafted him, and I asked Pop: ‘What do you think about Cory Joseph?’ ” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "He said he’s one of the finest human beings you’ll ever meet. Pretty high praise from coach Pop, and that’s exactly what I found. Incredibly professional, a leader, great advice from the bench when he’s not playing, solid play every time he goes on to the court.”
Joseph, who has appeared in 17 of Golden State’s 36 games this season, understands the dual nature of his role. He’ll certainly play more now that usual Warriors backup guard Chris Paul is out for weeks with a broken hand, and that will double Joseph’s responsibility.
He’s ready.
“Whatever it is to win and that involves the culture, I want to impact that,” he said. “It’s not always on the court, but when you do get minutes, you gotta perform. It’s still the NBA.”
And there’s plenty of room for "self-aware but always ready" vets.
“I started to explain to him early in the year about his playing time,” Kerr said of Joseph. “He said, ‘Coach, just stop. You don’t need to explain anything to me. I’ll be ready when you play me and don’t worry about me when I’m not.’
“Guys like that, they’re impossible not to like.”
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