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Kyle Kuzma has high praise for Scottie Barnes

The former Seminole has been turning heads during the preseason.

One of the surprises of the 2021 NBA Draft was Scottie Barnes being selected by the Toronto Raptors with the No. 4 overall pick. However, Barnes has done nothing but impress since heading north. He had a solid summer league and has carried that momentum into the preseason.

READ MORE: Florida State wide receiver enters Transfer Portal

Following the Raptors final preseason game against Washington, Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma threw some praise towards the young rookie. This is what Kuzma had to say according to NBCS's Chase Hughes.

“I think the number one that stands out with him is I just love that he has a certain type of passion for the game. You can tell, he kind of loves it. He’s very enthusiastic. He’s out there screaming and trying to guard the best player. I’ve watched, I think they played Philadelphia a couple of nights ago in one of their first preseason game​s and he was picking up Tyrese Maxey and point guards at 94 feet, at 6-9. Then you see him tonight, starting out the game matching up with Bradley Beal, so that just tells you he’s a guy that’s very, very hungry, that loves the game of basketball and wants to be great. Especially as a rookie, being young, it’s very impressive to see.” 

The former Seminole point guard had 9 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, and a block that helped lead Toronto to a 113-108 victory over the Wizards.. With this being the last preseason game for Barnes and the Raptors, the focus will now move to a rematch with Washington on opening night. 

READ MORE: Recruits react to Florida State's win over North Carolina

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