Scottie Barnes names the best dancers on the Raptors

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes updates how his ankle feels, the keys to his transition offence, why he started a YouTube channel and names the best dancers on the team.

Video Transcript

- Nick mentioned that you were dealing with an ankle issue before training camp. How'd it happen? How are you feeling now?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I was just driving to the basket and tweaked it a little bit. I was out for a little while. But it was just continually progressing throughout the treatments and strengthening things that we've done in the weight room. So it was just getting better. I tweaked it a little bit, but it's fine.

- Was it the same ankle as last year in the playoffs?

SCOTTIE BARNES: Oh, no, no, no. It was my other one.

- Do you feel like it's back to 100%?

SCOTTIE BARNES: Yeah, it feels pretty good. It feels nice. I can go. I don't really feel any pain. It feels good.

- Do you feel like you're physically where you want to be? Nick was saying that you might be playing a little catch-up because that was sort of ramp-up time that you missed before training camp.

SCOTTIE BARNES: Ah, I feel like I'd be pushing myself when I'm on the floor to try to get back in shape. But I feel like I'm doing pretty good out there on the floor. I've still got to keep trying to push myself every time I'm out there on the floor, try to get better, just keep trying to work on myself every time I'm on the floor. I feel like I'm getting there still. But I feel like I'm close.

- Obviously, coming off a Rookie of the Year season, expectations that people have of you this year are really high. How do you deal with that? Is that something that you embrace? Is that pressure, or is that something you don't even pay attention to?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I just go on the floor and try to help us win in any way possible. I try to have that impact on the floor, defensively, offensively, try to take what's given to me, just try to play the right way while I'm on the floor. I don't really think about it when I'm on the floor. So I'm just out there playing, trying to do what I can.

- What are your expectations for yourself this year, like in terms of growth? Is there-- do you have individual goals this year or something that you're--

SCOTTIE BARNES: I would say I do have individual goals, but it's not really something that I really focus on that much. I just try to really, really focus on the team things, just try to be able to push myself when I'm out there on the floor to just try to really be aggressive and try to take it to the next level defensively when I'm out there on the floor, try to make those impacts on different ways. I feel like that's just-- we win, and the other things come with it. So I really try to focus on winning.

- Scottie, Nick talked about how you have to kind of-- when you reach a certain level of alertness and locked in on both sides of the ball, that's when you really succeed last season. What have you noticed about yourself when it comes to, like, the game day routine or whatever it is as you went along last season, the stuff you need to do to really be locked in when the game comes?

SCOTTIE BARNES: Say that again.

- So like, Nick was talking about, when you're really alert and locked in, that's when you're at your best. And I'm wondering if you learned anything about your game day routine last season or anything like that that helps you reach that level of alertness.

SCOTTIE BARNES: My game day routines are really, I just wake up, eat. I might play the game a little bit. It's really, I'm just trying to stay calm, keep myself calm really throughout the day so that when I'm ready for the game, I'm just out there really locked in, really trying to stay having fun. I feel like that's when I'm at my best, when I'm out there having fun, laughing, smiling. That helps me be able to be locked in offensively when I'm playing the game with joy.

- Scottie, What can you say about Pascal, kind of seeing him in year two as a leader on this team? What can you say about his growth so far in training camp and preseason?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I would say Pascal shows that leadership when we're on the floor by the way he tries to push himself, the way he tries to attack, the way he tries to push himself defensively on the floor. So you can just-- every time you see him step on the floor, you see him mentally locked in, coming in here early, working on his game, trying to work on scraps for every single day.

So when he steps on the floor, I feel like that's like him talking, as Fred's more of a vocal, but he's also on the floor, just really telling things on the floor. And I'd say Pascal is more of a, when we're playing, it speaks loud by his actions.

- Have you spoken to guys who have been through-- have won Rookie of the Year who have been through how to manage high expectations after such a successful season?

SCOTTIE BARNES: Well, no. I don't think I've talked to anybody about that. But no, I don't think so, no.

- Scottie, we were just talking about like transition offense and how you guys can be more efficient this year. You came into the league really efficient in that regard. You always knew how to make plays in transition at 100% speed. Is there anything you'd tell to maybe some of the young guys when they pick your brain about that kind of stuff, especially when it comes to your first read, like when you get the ball off a defensive rebound and take the ball in transition? Is there any advice you have in that regard?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I mean, I just try to get the rebounds and try to be aggressive. I know I can be lethal in transition. This team can be really lethal in transition with the length and athleticism that we have, being young. We can be very dominant in transition, I would say.

But I'd say we all really try to be aggressive in transition. I feel like that's an easy way to get our party started or the movement started, running. I feel like that's what we can do.

- Scottie, what made you want to start a YouTube channel and show people that side of you with the "Life of Scottie Barnes" series?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I felt like I just really wanted to show my personality. You don't really-- you can see it a little bit when I'm on the floor, a little bit with the team with their series with "Open Gym" a little bit. But I just really wanted to be able to have my own thing where my guy Max was just really helping me, my photographer, he was just helping me be able to show myself.

I just really wanted to be able to get content out to the fans. They love us so much. They want to see anything, anything to do with us. So I just give them that content just so they can just watch it, enjoy it, and just more things coming on the way. So it's just really me trying to open up my personality and me trying to explore a different world.

In the offseason, I was a little bored.

[LAUGHTER]

It was just trying things. I've been wanting to do things like that, but I was just a little nervous. So I just really wanted to test myself and push myself.

- Could you ever see yourself doing media like a Draymond Green?

SCOTTIE BARNES: The podcast thing? I don't think I'm really a big podcast guy, you know? I'm with the Twitch, interacting with the chat, making YouTube videos. I'd say that's pretty much my side of it.

- You were dancing quite a bit in those videos. And I just saw Precious out here doing his own little jig. So what would you say are the top three dancers on the Toronto Raptors? And if you could rank them, that would be helpful.

SCOTTIE BARNES: I would say, of course, I got the best dance moves, I think. I would say OG number two, even though he got a little awkward movements with it. But at least he tries, so I give him an A for effort. Number three, I would say Precious. Precious do got some moves. Honorable mention, I would say Chris Boucher. Who else? Yeah, I think Chris Boucher's an honorable mention, closing in at number three. So you know--

- Scottie, what can you expect from the Montreal crowd tomorrow?

SCOTTIE BARNES: I feel like it's about to be a great atmosphere. Those fans, I don't know when the last game was in Montreal. But I'm sure they're about to have a great time. It's going to be a blast. I feel like it's going to be a great crowd, good game. So I feel like it's about to be amazing. Can't wait.