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If Ja'Kobe Walter was in the 2025 draft - knowing what you do about his game after his rookie year - where would you have drafted him this year?
Let's assume BPA

I'm was thinking our pick, #9.

Not to derail but where would CMB rank in 2024 draft class - he could have declared

DelAbbot wrote:Not to derail but where would CMB rank in 2024 draft class - he could have declared

This is directly derailing, man. You're the first reply in the thread and not answering the stated question in the OP...

26th

DAcReator wrote:If Ja'Kobe Walter was in the 2025 draft - knowing what you do about his game after his rookie year - where would you have drafted him this year?
Let's assume BPA

I'm was thinking our pick, #9.

Walter was 19th last year. Shot poorly for Baylor (though his 3 was well-discussed and he was a 79% FT shooter). 6'4, +6 wingspan, just shy of 200 lbs. Bleh athleticism. Bleh ball handling. Drew fouls well.

I don't think he goes 9th, I think he's still borderline top-20.

Honestly think he should have gone lotto in his draft year. This year? The way the draft panned out? Probably after 20.

DelAbbot wrote:Not to derail but where would CMB rank in 2024 draft class - he could have declared

Sophomore CMB would go first.

2024 draft class was historically weak.

DAcReator wrote:If Ja'Kobe Walter was in the 2025 draft - knowing what you do about his game after his rookie year - where would you have drafted him this year?
Let's assume BPA

I'm was thinking our pick, #9.

I'd say late lotto - mid first.

1. Flagg
2. Harper
3 .Edgecombe
4 - 11: Kneuppel, Johnson, Bailey, Maluach, Fears, Coward, Bryant, Sorber.

These are the only players that are clearly better than him IMO. After that, I'd say he's in play.

tsherkin wrote:

DAcReator wrote:If Ja'Kobe Walter was in the 2025 draft - knowing what you do about his game after his rookie year - where would you have drafted him this year?
Let's assume BPA

I'm was thinking our pick, #9.

Walter was 19th last year. Shot poorly for Baylor (though his 3 was well-discussed and he was a 79% FT shooter). 6'4, +6 wingspan, just shy of 200 lbs. Bleh athleticism. Bleh ball handling. Drew fouls well.

I don't think he goes 9th, I think he's still borderline top-20.

Yep, I'd say this is a pretty accurate analysis.

Mid to late first round imo but then again I’m not high on him at all. I feel like in 5-6 years he will be out of the league but who knows, lots of y’all love him.

Kobe Anunoby wrote:Mid to late first round imo but then again I’m not high on him at all. I feel like in 5-6 years he will be out of the league but who knows, lots of y’all love him.

I don't think he'll be out of the league. Some people think he has all-star potential which I disagree with. I do believe he'll be a solid role player for years to come.

LoveMyRaps wrote:

Kobe Anunoby wrote:Mid to late first round imo but then again I’m not high on him at all. I feel like in 5-6 years he will be out of the league but who knows, lots of y’all love him.

I don't think he'll be out of the league. Some people think he has all-star potential which I disagree with. I do believe he'll be a solid role player for years to come.

Hard to see star potential in him with his profile. Solid roleplayer is quite possible, though.

Kobe Anunoby wrote:Mid to late first round imo but then again I’m not high on him at all. I feel like in 5-6 years he will be out of the league but who knows, lots of y’all love him.

I'm with you.

I would say late first rounder this year and I don't see him taking another step in the league.

CMB would have gone top 3 last year.

Jakobe would have went 20-26 this year.

Considered how this board swooned over Rasheer Fleming, I'm going to say 32nd.

The draft played out in really interesting fashion. Jakobe's comparable players in the lotto are Coward and Bryant, I don't think he would have had the hype those guys did, and they would have been selected over him.

The next 6 picks after Bryant and the lotto are 3 centers in a row, followed by 3 point guards. It seems like those teams knew the position they were targeting and selected who they thought was the best leftover. I think this is why a guy like Kasparas fell, just no other team wanted a point guard before 18, and then those teams preferred Walter and Nolan over him.

The next comparable guys to Jakobe are Will Riley and Drake Powell. Two freshman who have some holes and development required in there games, just like Jakobe. I think it's possible he gets picked over one of those guys, but that would have likely been his range in this draft.

Personally I would rather have what I know about Jakobe over Demin. I would trade Jakobe straight up for Carter Bryant right now though.

I would gamble on Yang before him. I think he could be in the mix with Walter Clayton, Traore and Jakucionus.

What am I not seeing in Ja'Kobe's game that has folks thinking he would be a lotto pick this year?
I am not convinced he would have been taken ahead of Rasheer Fleming in this significantly stronger draft class.

From my perspective I would have taken Kasparas Jakucionis over him without too much hesitation;
So maybe I would toss Walters somewhere between 21 and 32 this year?

Teams are going for athleticism, on ball playmakers, defensive bigs or efficient shooters. Ja’Kobe would be a 2nd rounder this year