Raptors take Ja'Kobe Walter 19th overall
The Toronto Raptors selected Baylor guard Ja'Kobe Walter with the 19th overall pick in Wednesday's NBA draft.
Walter, 19, was a freshman with the Bears this past season, where he led the team in scoring at 14.5 points per game. He also averaged 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 35 starts for the Bears.
Bio
Position: Guard
School: Baylor
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 197.6 lbs
Wingspan: 6-foot-10
Max vertical: 38.5 inches
2023-24 statistics with Baylor:
| GP | FG% | 3PT% | FT% | REB | AST | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 37.6 | 34.1 | 79.2 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 14.5 |
Walter, a consensus five-star recruit in the 2023 class, operated in a combo role in Baylor's backcourt, where his giant wingspan for a guard combined with a hard-nosed tenacity and motor set the foundation for an NBA-caliber defender. Though his shooting numbers don't pop off the page, Walter had a solid start to the year during Baylor's non-conference schedule, hitting threes at a 41.3% clip on 5.8 attempts per contest. That includes a 28-point debut against Auburn in which he shot 4-of-7 from distance.
NBA comparable: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Denver Nuggets guard has carved out a commendable career as a 3-and-D option who can handle the ball in spurts but is arguably best alongside a primary ball-handler who can dictate the offense. With a similar stature at 6-foot-5 and 204 pounds, Caldwell-Pope is a model parallel for the newest Raptor, who should find similar success alongside Immanuel Quickley, sharpshooter Gradey Dick, and all-around franchise cornerstone Scottie Barnes for the foreseeable future.