NBA prospects are often judged on their potential rather than their production when it comes to their draft stock, and perhaps no prospect represents that better in the 2024 NBA Draft than Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter. Walter was inconsistent during his lone season in Waco but he remains in contention to be a lottery pick thanks to his upside. Here’s how he stacks up ahead of the event.
Ja’Kobe Walter Draft Profile
Walter took on a huge role right away with Scott Drew’s setup at Baylor, becoming one of the team’s best perimeter defenders right away. His burden offensively was probably more than it should’ve been, but he showcased great upside as a three-point shooter despite some inconsistencies. His tournament performances give him a nice boost ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft.
Strengths
The physicality on both ends of the floor stands out. Walter is not shy about attacking opponents off the dribble, even though it didn’t lead to great efficiency offensively. His defensive chops are also excellent, especially since he’s quick enough to hang with guards and big enough to take on some wings. He’s set to be an immediate contributor on that side of the floor. His three-point shot is more fluid than his percentage shows and he should be able to connect at a good clip with more reps.
Weaknesses
Walter can occasionally get a bit reckless with his drives. He didn’t have a great midrange game and his percentage reflected that. He often struggled against better defensive teams, with horrendous shooting performances against the likes of Iowa State, West Virginia, Kansas and TCU twice. Baylor didn’t deploy him much as the lead offensive initiator so it’s hard to know what he can do off drives in a creator role.
Player comparison: Terance Mann
Mann is a bigger guard similar to Walter and the playing styles are similar. Mann did spend four years in college but Walter can probably reach a higher ceiling jumping to the pros right away instead of staying in Waco.
