Rowan Barrett, father of Knicks prized rookie RJ Barrett, played four seasons at St. John’s. During his first two (1992-93, 1993-94) Barrett was backcourt mates with Lee Green.
Green died of coronavirus complications Monday at age 49. Green and Rowan Barrett were teammates on the 1992-93 St. John’s club that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“Terrible news — he will be sadly missed,’’ Rowan Barrett said in a text message. “He always had a smile for you and was a pleasure to be around. I’ve been praying for his family.”
Green, a point guard who hailed from The Bronx, averaged just 2.9 points. He was known for his smarts, handle and defense more than his scoring prowess.
“He was tremendous ball-handler — tough, athletic, skilled,’’ Rowan Barrett wrote. “He played from point guard to small forward offensively and defensively when necessary. He had no fear and played to win. We had a deep team and so he played a role and locked guys up defensively.’’
Former St. John’s coach Brian Mahoney said he recalled occasionally pairing Green and Barrett in the backcourt off the bench — with Lee touted for his driving and the 6-foot-6 Barrett reputed for his shooting range.
Barrett, who is from Toronto, met his wife Kesha at St. John’s and the couple later had RJ, who became the No. 3 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Knicks. Rowan, who played professionally in Europe, is now the GM of Team Canada’s basketball program.
