Toronto Raptors select Ja'Kobe Walter in 2024 NBA Draft

Ja’Kobe Walter is officially an NBA player, being selected by the Toronto Raptors in the first round on Wednesday night, with the No. 19 overall selection. The former Baylor guard was one of the top college players available and now gets to make the jump up in competition level.

In 35 games this season, Walter averaged 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. Walter shot 37.6% from the field, had a three-point percentage of 34.1%, and made 79.2% of his free throws — a number people in the NBA had to be encouraged when scouting him.

The NCAA Tournament is where Walter really shined, though. Baylor played in just two games but the freshman scored 19 points against Colgate and 20 vs. Clemson. He likely wanted to go further with the Bears and attempt to win the national championship but those two performances were solid from a personal perspective.

Walter played high school basketball at Link Year Prep but is originally from McKinney, TX. He was a Five-Star Plus+ prospect and the No. 9 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Baylor has been one of the best programs in college basketball recently, pumping out a ton of NBA talent. Walter is the school’s sixth draft pick since 2021 and the fourth selected in the first round. Not a bad run for head coach Scott Drew, certainly using it as a recruiting tool moving forward.

What NBA Draft experts are saying about Ja’Kobe Walter

Heading into the NBA Draft, On3’s James Fletcher gave his scouting report on Walter, listing him as the No. 16 prospect on the top 40 big board.

Fletcher discussed the improved performance during the NCAA Tournament after not being too efficient during the regular season. Somewhere near the end of the lottery was thought to be Walter’s ceiling.

“Ja’Kobe Walter demonstrated a different mentality in the NCAA Tournament, despite ultimately falling in the Second Round,” Fletcher said. “His ability to use athleticism on the wing helps him make plays offensively and defensively. However, the 6-foot-5 wing struggled for most of the season to find efficiency. He shot just 37.6% from the field, although playing within an offense where he is not the go-to scorer could help.

“Walter did not pick up as much steam following his Baylor performance, seeming to settle just below the lottery conversation in most cases.”