A great shooter, but without a real closeout counter. Once other teams started prioritizing running him off the line, his shooting went cold.
He’s a great foul drawer, but not a great paint finisher. His defense is a bit theoretical right now, but he has the right tools to become a great guard defender (6’5″ with a +5 wingspan).
He can’t really dribble all that well right now, but should fit in well in the system as a play finisher (think Gary’s current role).
I am whelmed if not a bit disappointed. But that’s less about the player and more about positional fit. They went BPA
OG3SpicyP
He has Rock Lee as his pfp on Instagram lol. Love him already
Toincossross
It’s the 19th pick in a weak draft. If he’s not a gambler actively throwing games for bookies, it’s a win.
dallodallo
time to over react and prepare for the second coming of the bench mob
salutaava
Gary Trent Jr replacement
lillithfair98
Dick, now Walters.
After years of drafting athletes and trying to teach them to shoot, it seems the new philosophy is to guard shooters. Definitely a concious plan to build around Barnes.
lucastimmons
Dude did not look happy to be coming here
Tiny-Radish7786
This guy shot more 3s (6.3) than 2s (4.7) in college… Him+Gradey is going to be interesting.
iambiggzy
We just drafted Terrence Ross Jr wow smh
sfchky03
TRASH WTF
LinuxF4n
> 19 Toronto Raptors > > Ja’Kobe Walter | 6-4 wing | 19 years old | Baylor > > Vecenie’s ranking: 23 > > I want to like Ja’Kobe Walter more than I do because I’m a big fan of prospects with legitimate size, length and shooting ability. Walter is the kind of physical archetype a team can sell itself on physically playing off the ball next to a primary shot creator, then potentially cross-match to annoy the opponent’s best on-ball players on the other end of the floor. However, he’s not there as an on-ball defender yet. Maybe he can improve — we’ve seen guys with this body type make that kind of leap before — but he has a long way to go. That deficit is on top of him not being a monster athlete, high-level passer or effective driver. I have a first-round grade on Walter because I believe in him becoming an excellent shotmaker given his adeptness off movement. But to be a difference-maker rather than just an NBA rotation player, he must make a defensive leap. > > Hollinger’s analysis: Walter was arguably the best player available in raw terms, and also fills a potential roster void at shooting guard if Gary Trent Jr. leaves in free agency and Bruce Brown, as many expect, ends up being traded. Toronto’s road not taken here was Isaiah Collier, whose lack of shooting would have been harder to fit in with Scottie Barnes and R.J. Barrett but perhaps offered more long-term upside.
bro every move we make is always so fucking lame man like we’re gonna be bums regardless pls do sum cool instead of this mid ass shit
imbiczarre
Not another fucking guard. Ugh
dsbllr
He looks good. Very fluid and athletic. Has decent shooting fundamentals. I wish he was a true 6’6 but can still be very very good if he reaches his peak potential
joshgc
LOOOOL at people complaining about a 19th pick in a garbage draft. You pick the best available prospect, if Masai thought this guy is the best prospect for 19th, you pick him. Every year it’s the same shit, I swear some of you think you know better and later on when this kid ends up being decent you come back and eat your words. Never change raptor fan base.
motherseffinjones
My guess is they are trying to open up the floor for Scottie and RJ to operate
vaalbarag
The Ringer’s scouting on him:
PLUSES
* Dynamic perimeter shooter who thrives off screens and handoffs and can use hesitations to get into pull-ups and sidesteps. With a smooth form, high elevation, and fearlessness, he has all the traits of a confident go-to scorer who can drain shots even when under pressure. * Physical driver with a quick first step and the ability to finish through contact using either hand. He’s decisive but he also has a patience to his dribble-drive game, using ball and pump fakes under the rim. * Flashed primary playmaker potential in high school with nifty passes off the dribble using either hand, and a good feel for handling pressure. Despite not being a lead creator at Baylor due to his team’s backcourt depth, he has displayed reactive handles and good instincts in the pick-and-roll under pressure. Baylor rarely uses him this way, though. * Emotional player who pumps his teammates up, flexes after dunks, and takes pride in defense. He’ll dive on the floor, take charges, and pick up opponents full court. He impacts the game even when he’s not scoring. Against Oklahoma State, he shot just 2-for-11 but came up with an athletic offensive board and later an athletic steal before sinking two clutch free throws. * Long-armed defender who is thirsty for stops and stays in his stance on-ball. * Aware off-ball defender, whether he’s communicating rotations to his teammates or looking for opportunities to jump passing lanes. In transition, opponents will need to look out for him due to his knack for interceptions.
MINUSES
* He doesn’t have advanced handles yet. Sometimes his dribble becomes a little loose and he has to regather himself before trying to make another move. NBA defenders will not be as kind as the ones he’s faced at Baylor, so he will need to tighten up his handle. Additionally, he lacks an explosive first step. These flaws also are why Baylor doesn’t rely on him for shot creation yet. * He’ll need to rely on power and being crafty to be a great finisher in traffic since he’s not an elite athlete who dunks over defenders. * Unproven as a lead playmaker due to a lack of opportunity; he was a high school teammate of fellow potential first-round pick Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina), who ran the offense. * His lack of elite length and strength is a limitation for his defensive upside. But his lateral quickness must also improve for him to become a stopper.
amydancepants
People are reading way too much in how he looked. He was emotional, those were big hugs he gave his parents.
OwlWitty
Well he was the best player available by our turn. Welcome!
stevo3001
what the fuck is Masai doing I wanted Suggs
SlapThatAce
This draft is absolutely brutal!
sh00ner
I like it, I was really hoping Dalton would keep dropping, but I’m happy with this.
Plantedballer
Elite 2 way player of the future
unclekarl_
Wait what color was his hat???
Big_Albatross_3050
Sucks that Miami got Ware at 16, I think he would’ve been a great fit for this team.
Not too mad about this pick, based on what draft reporters are saying, Walter doesn’t seem like a bad pick tbh
onanotha_planet
I appreciated the purple
vaalbarag
It makes sense with the Darko-ball that in your guards you aren’t necessarily looking for that traditional ball-dominant-distributor (outside of your starting lead guard guy), but need a guy who can at least bring the ball up the court, get the ball into a big passer (Barnes, Poeltl), and then run off-ball screening actions.
PewpyDewpdyPantz
Figure he’ll start off as 6th man this season with a sophomore MVP season.
The-Pharcyde
The greatest Ja and Kobe to play in the NBA
Cheechers23
u/N7Brendan talk to me lol
TommTTT
I don’t see his path to playing time, I don’t know what the plan is now with Project 6’5.
Deuce17
There’s a trend here with our last two drafts. Dick and Ja’Kobe both excel in motion offences, being exceptionally good shooting off screens. Also both are pesky, competitive defenders. The archetype clearly complements Scotty which shows a logical vision of what we want this team to be.
DustyMcG
Seems like he fills the same role as Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji. I imagine that means Ochai isn’t in Toronto’s future plans?
karma_made_me_do_eet
He is a prospect who may or may not make a career in the NBA.
definitelynotagay
Ja’Kobe Poeltl
Own-Revolution-2224
This is a great pick and tremendous value at 19. I’m very happy with this result. Ja’Kobe has nice upside.
JediRaptor2018
Similar to Gradey, I stopped watching his YouTube clips because I thought he was out of our range. Can form a decent back court with IQ one day.
Responsible_Chain551
We are still a team that need to stack talent, there’s no sure thing on current roster but only Scottie, if FO think he’s BPA(clear he didn’t workout for us), then I’m fine for it
OG_anunoby3
He’s got the Ceiling of Jordan and floor of Kobe. Watch out….
42 Comments
People saying he looked pissed are being silly
Jakob and Ja’Kobe pick and rolls anybody?
I am whelmed
A great shooter, but without a real closeout counter. Once other teams started prioritizing running him off the line, his shooting went cold.
He’s a great foul drawer, but not a great paint finisher. His defense is a bit theoretical right now, but he has the right tools to become a great guard defender (6’5″ with a +5 wingspan).
He can’t really dribble all that well right now, but should fit in well in the system as a play finisher (think Gary’s current role).
I am whelmed if not a bit disappointed. But that’s less about the player and more about positional fit. They went BPA
He has Rock Lee as his pfp on Instagram lol. Love him already
It’s the 19th pick in a weak draft. If he’s not a gambler actively throwing games for bookies, it’s a win.
time to over react and prepare for the second coming of the bench mob
Gary Trent Jr replacement
Dick, now Walters.
After years of drafting athletes and trying to teach them to shoot, it seems the new philosophy is to guard shooters. Definitely a concious plan to build around Barnes.
Dude did not look happy to be coming here
This guy shot more 3s (6.3) than 2s (4.7) in college…
Him+Gradey is going to be interesting.
We just drafted Terrence Ross Jr wow smh
TRASH WTF
> 19 Toronto Raptors
>
> Ja’Kobe Walter | 6-4 wing | 19 years old | Baylor
>
> Vecenie’s ranking: 23
>
> I want to like Ja’Kobe Walter more than I do because I’m a big fan of prospects with legitimate size, length and shooting ability. Walter is the kind of physical archetype a team can sell itself on physically playing off the ball next to a primary shot creator, then potentially cross-match to annoy the opponent’s best on-ball players on the other end of the floor. However, he’s not there as an on-ball defender yet. Maybe he can improve — we’ve seen guys with this body type make that kind of leap before — but he has a long way to go. That deficit is on top of him not being a monster athlete, high-level passer or effective driver. I have a first-round grade on Walter because I believe in him becoming an excellent shotmaker given his adeptness off movement. But to be a difference-maker rather than just an NBA rotation player, he must make a defensive leap.
>
> Hollinger’s analysis: Walter was arguably the best player available in raw terms, and also fills a potential roster void at shooting guard if Gary Trent Jr. leaves in free agency and Bruce Brown, as many expect, ends up being traded. Toronto’s road not taken here was Isaiah Collier, whose lack of shooting would have been harder to fit in with Scottie Barnes and R.J. Barrett but perhaps offered more long-term upside.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5595111/2024/06/26/nba-draft-grades-analysis-2024-vecenie-hollinger/
bro every move we make is always so fucking lame man like we’re gonna be bums regardless pls do sum cool instead of this mid ass shit
Not another fucking guard. Ugh
He looks good. Very fluid and athletic. Has decent shooting fundamentals. I wish he was a true 6’6 but can still be very very good if he reaches his peak potential
LOOOOL at people complaining about a 19th pick in a garbage draft. You pick the best available prospect, if Masai thought this guy is the best prospect for 19th, you pick him. Every year it’s the same shit, I swear some of you think you know better and later on when this kid ends up being decent you come back and eat your words. Never change raptor fan base.
My guess is they are trying to open up the floor for Scottie and RJ to operate
The Ringer’s scouting on him:
PLUSES
* Dynamic perimeter shooter who thrives off screens and handoffs and can use hesitations to get into pull-ups and sidesteps. With a smooth form, high elevation, and fearlessness, he has all the traits of a confident go-to scorer who can drain shots even when under pressure.
* Physical driver with a quick first step and the ability to finish through contact using either hand. He’s decisive but he also has a patience to his dribble-drive game, using ball and pump fakes under the rim.
* Flashed primary playmaker potential in high school with nifty passes off the dribble using either hand, and a good feel for handling pressure. Despite not being a lead creator at Baylor due to his team’s backcourt depth, he has displayed reactive handles and good instincts in the pick-and-roll under pressure. Baylor rarely uses him this way, though.
* Emotional player who pumps his teammates up, flexes after dunks, and takes pride in defense. He’ll dive on the floor, take charges, and pick up opponents full court. He impacts the game even when he’s not scoring. Against Oklahoma State, he shot just 2-for-11 but came up with an athletic offensive board and later an athletic steal before sinking two clutch free throws.
* Long-armed defender who is thirsty for stops and stays in his stance on-ball.
* Aware off-ball defender, whether he’s communicating rotations to his teammates or looking for opportunities to jump passing lanes. In transition, opponents will need to look out for him due to his knack for interceptions.
MINUSES
* He doesn’t have advanced handles yet. Sometimes his dribble becomes a little loose and he has to regather himself before trying to make another move. NBA defenders will not be as kind as the ones he’s faced at Baylor, so he will need to tighten up his handle. Additionally, he lacks an explosive first step. These flaws also are why Baylor doesn’t rely on him for shot creation yet.
* He’ll need to rely on power and being crafty to be a great finisher in traffic since he’s not an elite athlete who dunks over defenders.
* Unproven as a lead playmaker due to a lack of opportunity; he was a high school teammate of fellow potential first-round pick Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina), who ran the offense.
* His lack of elite length and strength is a limitation for his defensive upside. But his lateral quickness must also improve for him to become a stopper.
People are reading way too much in how he looked. He was emotional, those were big hugs he gave his parents.
Well he was the best player available by our turn. Welcome!
what the fuck is Masai doing I wanted Suggs
This draft is absolutely brutal!
I like it, I was really hoping Dalton would keep dropping, but I’m happy with this.
Elite 2 way player of the future
Wait what color was his hat???
Sucks that Miami got Ware at 16, I think he would’ve been a great fit for this team.
Not too mad about this pick, based on what draft reporters are saying, Walter doesn’t seem like a bad pick tbh
I appreciated the purple
It makes sense with the Darko-ball that in your guards you aren’t necessarily looking for that traditional ball-dominant-distributor (outside of your starting lead guard guy), but need a guy who can at least bring the ball up the court, get the ball into a big passer (Barnes, Poeltl), and then run off-ball screening actions.
Figure he’ll start off as 6th man this season with a sophomore MVP season.
The greatest Ja and Kobe to play in the NBA
u/N7Brendan talk to me lol
I don’t see his path to playing time, I don’t know what the plan is now with Project 6’5.
There’s a trend here with our last two drafts. Dick and Ja’Kobe both excel in motion offences, being exceptionally good shooting off screens. Also both are pesky, competitive defenders. The archetype clearly complements Scotty which shows a logical vision of what we want this team to be.
Seems like he fills the same role as Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji. I imagine that means Ochai isn’t in Toronto’s future plans?
He is a prospect who may or may not make a career in the NBA.
Ja’Kobe Poeltl
This is a great pick and tremendous value at 19. I’m very happy with this result. Ja’Kobe has nice upside.
Similar to Gradey, I stopped watching his YouTube clips because I thought he was out of our range. Can form a decent back court with IQ one day.
We are still a team that need to stack talent, there’s no sure thing on current roster but only Scottie, if FO think he’s BPA(clear he didn’t workout for us), then I’m fine for it
He’s got the Ceiling of Jordan and floor of Kobe. Watch out….