Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett is currently grieving the loss of his younger brother, Nathan Barrett.
The Barrett family released a statement through the Raptors and Canada Basketball, confirming Nathan’s passing on Tuesday. The statement did not provide details regarding the cause of death or Nathan’s age.
RJ and Nathan’s father, Rowan Barrett, holds the position of general manager at Canada Basketball.
Toronto Raptors Team (Via NBA/Twitter)
The family expressed profound sorrow over Nathan’s death and emphasized their commitment to cherishing the memories shared with him.
Describing Nathan as a young man of strong character, the statement highlighted his qualities of thoughtfulness, kindness, love, compassion, creativity, admiration, and drive.
In light of this tragedy, RJ Barrett, who ranks second in scoring for the Raptors with an average of 19.5 points per game, did not participate in Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Pistons and will also be absent from Friday night’s matchup against the Orlando Magic.
Toronto Raptors Team (Via NBA/Twitter)
Nathan, like his brother, attended Montverde Academy in Florida, where he played high school basketball.
RJ proceeded to play collegiate basketball at Duke University for one season before entering the NBA draft. He was selected as the third pick by the New York Knicks in 2019.
