Knicks Land Baylor's Ja'Kobe Walter in 2024 NBA Mock Draft With Mavericks' Pick
In a look ahead to next summer, the New York Knicks selected Baylor shooting guard Ja'Kobe Walter with the 17th overall pick (the one obtained from Dallas in the Kristaps Porzingiss trade) in FanNation's NBA Mock Draft on Draft Digest. Walter is set to make his collegiate debut at Baylor on Nov. 7 against Auburn after committing to Waco in January.
The 6-foot-5, 180-pound prospect out of Link Academy in McKinney, Texas is listed as both the No. 1 senior and shooting guard in the country, as well as the No. 8 overall player in the class of 2023, per 247 Sports.
In his junior year, Walter averaged 23.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. In 14 minutes, Walter scored 10 points on 66.7 percent shooting in the 2023 McDonald's All-American Game.
Walte's high school efforts have been lauded for going the extra mile and hopes to continue that trend at Baylor.
“If I do something, people may think I’m coming off as too aggressive,” Walter said, per On3.com. “But it’s really just the fact that I care a lot about what I’m doing and I’m usually trying to put my all into it.”
Adam Finkelstein, 247 Sports director of scouting, labeled Walter as "a high-volume scorer on the wing with good size, length, and natural strength."
"He’s evolved into a tough shot-maker off the dribble who looks for his pull-up, both in the mid-range and behind the arc, and is capable of getting hot and making shots in bunches," Finkelstein said. "He’s shown some vision and passing ability at times, he tends to hunt his shots and play a ball-dominant style."
With all contract disputes and trade rumors floating, it is uncertain if Knicks shooting guard/point guard Immanuel Quickley will be donning the orange and blue come the 2024-25 season. Quentin Grimes and free agent signee Donte DiVincenzo are New York's only other pure shooting guards currently on the roster,
Grimes averaged 11.3 points per game on 46.8 percent shooting as a starter last season. DiVincenzo started half of his games with the Warriors in 2022-23, averaging 9.4 points per game on 43.5 percent shooting.
The Knicks' shooting guards could definitely put some more points on the board and Walter may be the 2024 prospect that can achieve that goal.
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