MISSISSAUGA — What's in a name? In the case of Mississauga's RJ Barrett, there's a strong basketball reputation to live up to and he wouldn't have it any other way.

His father, Rowan, played for Canada at the 2000 Summer Olympics and is currently the assistant general manager of Canada Basketball's senior men's team.

Now, the younger Barrett is about to don the red and white for the first time as part of Canada's cadet team for next week's Under-16 FIBA Americas tournament in Argentina.

"My dad went through (playing international basketball), so I'm just trying to get to where he got to," said Barrett, a St. Marcellinus Secondary School student.

"The coaches have been pushing us, so I think we're going to do some damage in Argentina."

Rowan Barrett

Rowan Barrett also played all over the world in his professional career and his son remembers when the family lived in France, Italy, Venezuela and Spain as a youngster.

Barrett is one of two Mississaugans picked for the team along with Jaelin Llewellyn. Brampton's Jaden Bediako, Danilo Djuricic and Keshaun Saunders are on the team as well.

The FIBA Americas, beginning next Wednesday (June 10) will serve as a qualifier for the 2016 FIBA World Championships.

Llewellyn, who attends Father Goetz Secondary, is excited for the trip to Argentina, but knows there's a fine line between the fun of visiting another country and realizing there's work to be done.

"You can't go over there and think it's going to be just a fun trip," said Llewellyn, who plays with Barrett and several other national team members on the travelling Tyler Ennis Jordan Brand team over the summer. "You need to know when it's time to have fun and when it's time to get down to work."

Nearing the end of his first year at St. Marcellinus, Barrett, who isn't eligible to play NCAA basketball until 2019, is already drawing high praise. North Pole Hoops recently called the 6-foot-6 swingman the best Canadian prospect since 2014-15 NBA Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins