Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
2004 | 6’5 | 6’10 WS | 195 LBS Team: Baylor Best aggregate mock draft rank: 1 / Worst rank: 16 2023-24 stats: In 2023-24, Walter averaged 14.5 points in 35 games with 32.3 minutes per contest game. He recorded 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.2 blocks, …
2004 | 6’5 | 6’10 WS | 195 LBS
Team: Baylor
Best aggregate mock draft rank: 1 / Worst rank: 16
2023-24 stats:
In 2023-24, Walter averaged 14.5 points in 35 games with 32.3 minutes per contest game. He recorded 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. His shooting percentages were 37.6 percent from three, 34.1 percent from three, and 79.2 percent from the foul line.
Walter was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 35 games.
Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter told Shams Charania of The Athletic on Monday that he will forgo his remaining college eligibility and declare for the 2024 NBA draft.
Walter was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals on 34.1% shooting from 3-point range in 35 games. His 508 total points rank as the second-most by a freshman in program history.
He was also named to the All-Big 12 third team.
Walter struggled during the first month of conference play but settled in and finished the year on a high note. He totaled 39 points and 10 rebounds in two games in the NCAA Tournament as the Bears lost to Clemson in the round of 32.
Thank you Baylor💚All Glory To God pic.twitter.com/wLGpAxXJ1W
— Ja’Kobe Walter (@JaKobeWalter1) April 15, 2024
Walter is projected to be a mid-first-round pick, given his scoring ability after producing nine 20-point games. He can get to his spots well, pull up from virtually everywhere, and get into the paint and finish. He can also lock up on defense and make things tough for the opposition.
He will have the opportunity to improve his draft positioning in team interviews and workouts over the pre-draft process. He could also be invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp or draft combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.
The 2024 NBA draft take place June 26-27 in New York City.
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A recent 2024 NBA Mock Draft has the Chicago Bulls selecting Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter.
This summer will be an important one for the Chicago Bulls as they will have a chance to seriously plan for the future. The 2024 NBA Draft will provide them with an opportunity to add some much-needed young talent to the roster, ideally to complement the likes of Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Patrick Williams (if he re-signs).
A recent 2024 NBA Mock Draft from Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has the Bulls selecting Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter with the 12th pick. Walter is a 6-foot-5 guard who is in his freshman season with the Bears and could be a solid shot-creator in the NBA.
Wasserman notes this skill as a reason teams may look to select him.
“A falling three-point percentage won’t cause scouts to stop seeing an NBA shotmaker in Ja’Kobe Walter. Dating back to high school, the eye test shows a versatile shooter with impressive positional tools and some extra ability to hit tough runners,” Wasserman wrote. “It’s the lack of creation and playmaking that raise some concern and highlight the importance of Walter being able to consistently knock down jumpers. Over Baylor’s last 13 games, he’s just 19-of-80 from deep with 21 assists”
So far this season at Baylor, Walter is averaging 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 38.5% from the field and 32.3% from behind the three-point line.
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Rookie Wire took a look at the 2024 NBA draft class and where the top prospects stand as of Feb. 1.
The top NBA draft prospects worldwide have collectively reached the second halves of their respective seasons as they look to showcase themselves in front of scouts and executives.
The class this year has seen several players help their stock, while others have struggled and fallen down draft boards. Some players have also dealt with recent injuries and other factors that have prevented them from reaching their potential.
The draft is widely considered open at the top of the board, with several prospects in the conversation to be the first selection. Unlike last year, when Victor Wembanyama was the consensus No. 1 pick, there is no clear-cut choice this year.
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Prospects will continue to see their standing fluctuate over the remaining two-plus months of action on the court as scouts have more time to evaluate them. The sheer unknown atop the draft board should create plenty of storylines to follow over the remainder of the season.
The NBA announced on Wednesday that the draft will be expanded to a two-night format, with the first round set to take place on June 26 at the Barclays Center. The second round will be at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York the following night.
Rookie Wire looked at the class and where the top prospects stand at this point of the season. The order was determined by the reverse order of the NBA standings as of Feb. 1.
Note: Player fit wasn’t necessarily taken into account with each pick. Pick protections and other notes courtesy of Tankathon.
In a recent NBA Mock Draft, the Chicago Bulls selected Ja’kobe Walter out of Baylor.
As the season rolls on, the Chicago Bulls should focus most of their energy on the trade deadline. Despite their recent success, the Bulls still don’t have the talent to compete with the top teams in the East, and getting assets in return for their veteran assets should be a top priority.
However, since the Bulls will likely finish toward the bottom of the conference and perhaps even miss the playoffs, the NBA Draft will be important, too. Chicago could end up with a top-10 pick this year, and nailing that selection will be crucial to the future success of the franchise.
In a recent NBA Mock Draft compiled by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, the Bulls would select Ja’kobe Walter out of Baylor.a
The 19-year-old is currently in his freshman season with the Bears. At 6-foot-5, he’s proven to be a reliable three-point shooter with solid defensive tools.
“Positional tools and shotmaking versatility create a floor and easy fit that’s seemingly solidified Ja’Kobe Walter in the top-10 discussion,” Wasserman wrote.
“His skill set is tailored for plug-and-play off-ball scoring, with Walter shooting 40.0 percent on spot-up threes and 9-of-16 on shots off screens. But he’s also looked effective scoring in ball-screen situations, mostly by attacking downhill, finishing through contact or earning trips to the free-throw line.
“At 6’5″ with length and strength, he has the defensive tools to pair with a jumper, creating a low-risk, popular archetype.”
So far this year, Walter is averaging 15.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 44.5% from the floor and 41.3% from deep on 5.8 three-point attempts per game.
For a Bulls team that should be constantly looking to add shooting, Walter makes a ton of sense.
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The 2023 NBA Draft is challenging to predict but that won’t stop us from trying.
The 2024 NBA Draft is a genuinely challenging class to predict but that isn’t going to stop us from trying.
At this point in the season, there aren’t many players who have separated themselves as “can’t miss” prospects. Similarly, many players have clumped together in a similar tier and it is hard to differentiate much between many of those names.
If you’re into uncertainty and like the thrill of the unexpected, this is a fun group of players to evaluate because anything can happen and lots can (and will) change. But for those who want something more clear-cut, this process may become more frustrating.
Our mock draft looks different than some others around the industry and we expect that to remain true until the draft happens. Lots of factors will weigh into how teams evaluate these prospects and so that makes predictions even more hard to pinpoint than usual. While there is a lot we have learned, there is lots more to learn as well.
Unless noted otherwise, all data outside of the NCAA was pulled from our friends at Cerebro Sports — you can create a free account to evaluate player performance across all levels globally.
Our order was determined based on expected wins averaged out from ESPN, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. The teams outside the top eight in each conference were considered lottery squads. Trades were pulled from this database at RealGM.
The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
These are some of the most impressive prospects so far.
Even though the 2024 NBA Draft doesn’t have a clear No. 1 pick like Victor Wembanyama was last season, there is still plenty of intrigue.
Over the past few weeks, we have developed stronger opinions on some prospects who have performed exceedingly well since their season began. With an increasingly larger sample size across college basketball as well as internationally and in the G League, some players are beginning to separate themselves from the pack.
While we did not cover all those who have stood out with pleasantly surprising performances, here are some of the players who have already made us turn our heads a few times:
A year after losing the GEICO Nationals title game, Link Academy returned. This time, the Lions went home king of the jungle.
Link Academy boys basketball has arrived at the top. A year after falling in the title game, the Lions took down AZ Compass 73-55 to win the GEICO Nationals championship.
It puts a bow on a 27-1 season behind stars like Ja’Kobe Walter and Elliot Cadeau, the latter of whom broke the GEICO single-tournament assists record by recording 29 over the three games.
Link Academy takes down AZ Compass 73-55 to win their first #GEICONationals championship! 🏀🏆 pic.twitter.com/uB0uWTasvT
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) April 1, 2023
On Saturday, though, it wasn’t the Cadeau show. In foul trouble, the five-star North Carolina commit didn’t see a lot of time in the fourth quarter. Though it was the four fouls that required him to go to the bench, the play of sophomore guard Aaron Rowe allowed Link to keep Cadeau out until the final few minutes.
Rowe had eight points, three rebounds and three assists, but even that stat line doesn’t tell the story. He hit a pair of difficult shots late, including a contested mid-range and a finger roll around two defenders that sent the bench into a frenzy.
Unlike in the semifinals game against Sunrise Christian, in which Link Academy let a 20-point lead slip away, the Lions did not take their foot off the pedal on Saturday.
Rowe was key to that effort, as was Tyler McKinley, who made a pair of 3-pointers when Link’s offense started to go stagnant. He finished the game with 17 points, six rebounds and three assists, including an alley-oop to break press defense from Compass Prep.
Baylor commit Ja’Kobe Walter, ranked No. 22 on the 247Sports Composite, was once again a star, finishing with 21 points and three 3-pointers, including one late in the fourth quarter in which he created his shot with the shot clock winding down, released off-balance, and drained it.
Link Academy’s defense, which caused seven turnovers in the first quarter alone, didn’t allow AZ Compass Prep to make a real run at the game. The Dragons never fully figured out how to battle the press defense. The size and switchability of the Lions prevented consistent good looks. They stood tall on both ends of the court and won the GEICO Nationals.
The Lions are the kings of the jungle.
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Nate Oats and his coaching staff continue to make noise on the recruiting trail.
In just three short seasons as the Alabama men’s basketball coach, [autotag]Nate Oats[/autotag] has made some serious noise in Tuscaloosa. Already the coach has led the Tide to an SEC regular season and conference tournament championship, a Sweet 16 appearance, and now a top-three recruiting class for 2022.
It appears as if this is just the start of what is to come for Alabama men’s basketball. Oats and his coaching staff continue to light it up on the recruiting trail. Making proof of that statement with the latest news that Alabama has landed in the top eight for class of 2023 five-star Ja’Kobe Walter.
Joining the Tide in Walter’s list of top schools are UCLA, Seton Hall, Auburn, Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Currently, Scott Drew and the Baylor Bears are considered to be the leaders for Walter’s signature but there is still time for that to change.
🎱. AGTG❤️ pic.twitter.com/K2GgI68Gx4
— Ja’Kobe Walter (@JaKobeWalter1) May 4, 2022
Roll Tide Wire will continue to monitor Alabama’s involvement with the talented Ja’Kobe Walter.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on Twitter @Blackwood89.
Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.
Elite 2023 shooting guard from Texas has put Auburn in his final eight.
On Wednesday, 2023 five-star shooting guard Ja’Kobe Walter listed his top eight schools on his Twitter. One of the eight schools that were listed was the Auburn Tigers. Other schools that were in the mix for the Texas native were Alabama, Texas, Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma, Seton Hall, and UCLA.
Walter took an official visit to Auburn back in January. That is certainly a good sign for the Tigers. The only official visits that he has taken have been to Texas and Auburn. It is impossible to predict the Tigers’ roster for the 2023 season. However, head coach [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] and his staff would love to add a player like Walter.
At the present time, the staff has offered only four shooting guards with Walter counted as one. The other shooting guards that Auburn has offered are Wesley Yates, Maki Johnson, and Jelani Hamilton. Regardless of who Auburn lands, they will build the roster off of good play at the guard position. It has always been a staple for Coach Pearl’s teams at Auburn over the years. If the staff lands Walter, he would make an immediate impact on the Plains.
