NBA star RJ Barrett speaks out for the first time since his younger brother’s death at the age of 19, admitting ‘this one hit a little harder’ and he’s still trying ‘to figure it out’

RJ Barrett has spoken out for the first time since his brother’s shock death at the age of 19, admitting he’s still trying to ‘figure it out.’

Earlier this month it was announced that Nathan, four years RJ’s junior, had died. He had ‘fallen ill and had been at home for several weeks’ before his shock death, it later emerged.

No cause of death has yet been revealed for the teenager, who was training to be a pilot alongside his amateur basketball career. 

Barrett rejoined the Toronto Raptors on Friday for the first time since the tragedy and spoke to reporters about how he’s still coming to terms with the loss.

‘I’ve had some people in my life, but this one hit a little harder for me,’ Barrett said.

‘This one is definitely a little different, it’s a lot tougher, and I just think that you’ve gotta push forward every day, gotta be able to try to figure it out.’

‘If I know my brother, he would want me to be here, to be playing, to try to continue to make the Barrett legacy grow.’

More to follow.