Sixers draft profile: Ja’Kobe Walter has intriguing shots, scoring upside originally appeared in NBC Sports Philadelphia
A scouting report on NBA draft prospect Ja’Kobe Walter:
Ja’Kobe Walter was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year for a Baylor team that was a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament and was upset in the second round by Clemson. He’s a pure two-guard shooter and three-point shooter, but his low shooting percentages at Baylor could make him available to the Sixers with the 16th pick. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.3 turnovers and 1.1 steals in 32.3 minutes per game last season.
Forces
Walter is an excellent motion shooter. You’ll see him run around screens, get his feet in quickly and the shot will be deflected before the opposing defender can get to it. His putting form looks easy.
What makes Walter especially intriguing is his ability to close out the game. He was one of 14 Division I players — and the only freshman — to make at least 75 three-pointers and 145 free throws. He made the third-most free throws in the Big 12 because he was able to attack those close-outs and make contact at the rim. He shot 79.2 percent from the free throw line.
Walter has a huge scoring advantage when you combine his potential to become a high-volume three-point shooter and his ability to get to the free throw line at a high rate of speed.
Weaknesses
There are many reasons why Walter could slip in the draft despite his obvious scoring advantage.
He shot 34.2 percent from three-point range but just 37.6 percent from the field overall. He shot 42.3 percent on two-point shots, which points to an inability to finish in the zone and an inefficient mid-range game. He is not a high-wire athlete and will have to learn how to score points throughout the NBA once he gets past his defender.
Walter didn’t show much as a playmaker at Baylor, averaging just 1.8 assists per 40 minutes. NBA teams will have to decide whether Walter’s low assist rate was a function of how he was used or whether he has real limitations as a playmaker.
He’s a great catch-and-shoot guy from three-point range, but can Walter create his own shot? Eighty-nine percent of his three-point attempts were assisted.
Defensively, Walter isn’t particularly good at getting in front of opposing handlers. He doesn’t look like the kind of defender you’d want defending the other team’s best player. You’re more likely to try to hide it on a smaller perimeter player.
Adjust
I won’t be surprised if Walter is one of the best three-point specialists in the NBA in a few years. He is a stellar player off the ball and fits perfectly alongside stars who demand double teams. The thing is, he better shoot incredibly well because he doesn’t have many other elite skills.
He reminds me of two guards who make their living primarily as three-point shooters – guys like Tim Hardaway Jr., Malik Beasley and Gary Trent Jr. go defensively to reach that ceiling.
I think the Sixers could use a bigger wing more than Walter, but his ability as a motion shooter and floor spacer undeniably makes some theoretical sense alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
