Former South Florida standout basketball player Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors was picked for his first NBA All-Star Team on Tuesday.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver picked Atlanta’s Trae Young and Barnes as injury replacements on the Eastern Conference team. The Feb. 18 game will be played in Indianapolis.
Barnes, a forward-guard with Toronto, began his high school career at Cardinal Newman, but after one season he transferred to University School. There, he made the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s All-County first team and was a Fab Five pick two years in a row. For his senior year, he transferred to to national basketball powerhouse Montverde Academy near Orlando.
After one season at Florida State, Barnes was the No. 4 draft pick in 2021 and won the NBA Rookie of the Year award at the conclusion of the season.
Barnes is averaging 20.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.48 blocks and 1.24 steals in 35.3 minutes in 50 games this season. He and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks are the only NBA players to have at least 1,000 points, 400 rebounds, 250 assists, 50 blocks and 50 steals this season. Barnes has already made 95 3-pointers this season and is shooting 36.5% from 3-point range.
Barnes and Young will replace injured players Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) and Julius Randle (New York Knicks) on the All-Star roster.
John McCall / Sun Sentinel
Scottie Barnes poses for a 2019 Sun Sentinel All-County photo. (John McCall / South Florida Sun Sentinel)
