A conversation with NBA Draft Prospect Jarace Walker: On his Pacers fit, skillset, which pros he studies, and more
CHICAGO — Jarace Walker isn't like most highly-touted NBA Draft prospects.
His offensive numbers don't fly off the page. In his one season with the Houston Cougars, Walker averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. His passing numbers and usage rate aren't particularly high.
But numbers sell Walker short. He's a fine shooter, especially for a forward with as much strength as he has — he drilled 34.7% of his 101 three-point attempts in the NCAA ranks. His passing, when he got the chance, was crisp. He reads the game well and knows his spots.
And his defense is ridiculous. His 6.2% block percentage ranked 10th among freshmen in college basketball this season, per Barttorvik, and he had the third best steal rate among that group. He could switch on to many players and get a stop, which is part of what made him so effective at Houston. His rebounding is solid, too.
That's why some teams view Walker as a high-upside player despite being limited as a shot creator. He still has high-level skills and projects to be, at worst, a very impactful role player.
AllPacers caught up with Walker at the NBA Draft Combine this week in Chicago, where the forward discussed his game and other aspects of his pre-draft process. ESPN's latest mock draft has Walker being selected fifth overall by the Detroit Pistons.
In chatting with the powerful forward, Walker revealed that so far, he had met with the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder. When asked about the Indiana Pacers, Walker said, "If I'm not mistaken, I'm pretty sure I have a meeting with them."
Those teams all have picks in the top 10 of next month's NBA Draft. It is clear that there is intrigue about Walker and what he could bring to the pros near the top of the draft. Recent NBA players from the University of Houston, such as Quentin Grimes and Nate Hinton, have been positive defenders.
That's what Walker is highlighting in his interviews with teams. "They've been highlighting my defensive versatility for sure. And my passing ability, for sure," he said of his conversations with organizations so far. "I feel like they watch a lot of film, broke it down. So they definitely know the strengths and weaknesses of my game right now."
Houston was great for the 19-year old. He felt like the school was perfect in preparing him for the NBA. He had to guard multiple positions and defend at a high level. He honed his rebounding skills and slowed down college stars. The way he described it is that he had to sharpen the skills that will keep him on the floor in the NBA.
As a result, he believes he will fit well in the way that the modern NBA game is played. "I feel like I fit perfectly, just because of how I can defend multiple positions, guard multiple positions at a high level," Walker shared. "And also the things that I can do on offense. I feel like I have a good, versatile offensive game. I can shoot, dribble, pass. There's a lot of things I can do on that court, so I feel like I can fit right in."
Despite his defensive-based strengths, the players Walker studies most are offensive machines. The first two players he named are battling it out in the Eastern Conference Finals right now: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Others he named were Jrue Holiday, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker. He loves how the Phoenix duo is able to choose their spots and score. "He was on one," Walker said of Booker's playoff run.
When asked about the Pacers specifically, Walker sees himself as a good fit. Truly, he would be a decent fit anywhere. Guys who can provide toughness and defense at the forward spots are valuable.
But Indiana specifically needs depth at the four spot desperately, and Walker would fit right in. "I definitely can see myself fitting into the program. Especially with high-level playmakers like Haliburton and the skill set that Mathurin has," he said. "They have Myles Turner too. So they definitely have a good group, I feel like I could definitely fit right in."
Walker would have to adjust to the blue and gold's speed of play at the pro level, but his defense, should it grow in the NBA, would help the team tremendously. That's a focus for Indiana this summer.
The Maryland native believes that his versatility and lack of weaknesses separate him from other top prospects. He didn't get to display his shot making ability much at Houston, but he thinks he will be able to do it in the NBA.
But defense will be his forte in the pros, at least at first. "That's the first thing that I can implement myself into right away. Just my defense," Walker said. "Because that's just what I'm used to, especially day-to-day at Houston."
Where the talented forward ends up being drafted won't be known until the NBA Draft on June 22. But Jarace Walker would help a number of NBA teams, including the Indiana Pacers, if his defense translates to the NBA.
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