Ja’Kobe Walter is the newest member of the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors selected the guard out of Baylor with the No. 19 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Walter is a high-upside wing who has a chance to be a prolific shooter. He also has nice defensive upside which could turn him into an elite 3-and-D player.
Walter is 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in 35 starts for the Bears on his way to being named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
He shot 37.6 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from three on 6.3 attempts. He’s a capable shot-maker who can shoot it off the catch and off the move. He will be a nice addition to the Raptors young core of Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
Walter said he didn’t work out for the Raptors and has never been to Canada. However, he acknowledged the Raptors are the team for him.
“This is where I’m supposed to be,” he said, per TSN’s Josh Lewenberg.
Walter talked about being drafted per Lewenberg:
“It meant the world to me. I prayed so many times for this moment right here. It’s dreams into reality and I’m just grateful.”
He also talked about his game and how he will help the Raptors per Lewenberg:
“I consider myself a competitor, a scorer & a two-way player, somebody that will sacrifice their body on the defensive end and do whatever it takes to win.”
At 19-years-old Walter has plenty of room to grow.
Fun facts about Ja’Kobe Walter
Ja’Kobe Walter’s parents named him Ja’Kobe after Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Also, Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is his favorite NBA player, per Keerthika Uthayakumar.
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