Report: RJ Barrett will not play for Canada at FIBA World Cup due to injury

R.J. Barrett competing for Canada at the Pacific Rim Basketball Classic. (Chad Hipolito/CP)

RJ Barrett will not play for the Canadian men’s national team at the upcoming FIBA World Cup, according to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.

Barrett is sitting out the tournament to nurse a mild calf sprain he suffered during Summer League, per Charania.

Although Barrett won’t be playing in the FIBA World Cup, which runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 15, Charania adds that the New York Knicks rookie will participate in training camp and team activities in Toronto.

After a standout campaign at Duke that saw Barrett set a new ACC freshman single-season scoring record, the Mississauga, Ont. native was taken by the Knicks with the third-overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft.

In five summer league contests, Barrett averaged 15.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists, while shooting 33.7 per cent from the field.

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