Jarace Walker (F) - Houston

The-Power · Post #21 » by **The-Power** » Wed Feb 1, 2023 1:46 am

Catchall wrote:His 3pt % has dipped below 30%, and his FT % has been in the 50s over the past several games. Shooting is going to be that ever-important swing skill for him.

What numbers are you looking at? Neither is true unless you look at a cherry-picked sample of four games for which there is no reason.

reanimator · Post #22 » by **reanimator** » Sun Feb 5, 2023 11:59 pm

Really good 4 game stretch offensively. And yes, I am cherry picking :lol:

The Moose · Post #23 » by **The Moose** » Mon Feb 6, 2023 12:14 am

reanimator wrote:Really good 4 game stretch offensively. And yes, I am cherry picking

seems like he might make his way up to 3rd potentially

The-Power · Post #24 » by **The-Power** » Mon Feb 6, 2023 10:11 am

The Moose wrote:
reanimator wrote:Really good 4 game stretch offensively. And yes, I am cherry picking

seems like he might make his way up to 3rd potentially

Top 5 is certainly realistic for him although not a given. Still crazy to me how many opportunities to seek contact or bully his way to the rim he leaves on the table, and he's more of a big man type of shooter than a genuine shooter on the wing but there's just a lot to like with him. Easy to see him make an impact in the NBA even though I don't foresee him becoming a star-level player.

clyde21 · Post #25 » by **clyde21** » Mon Feb 6, 2023 5:52 pm

The-Power wrote:
The Moose wrote:
reanimator wrote:Really good 4 game stretch offensively. And yes, I am cherry picking

seems like he might make his way up to 3rd potentially

Top 5 is certainly realistic for him although not a given. Still crazy to me how many opportunities to seek contact or bully his way to the rim he leaves on the table, and he's more of a big man type of shooter than a genuine shooter on the wing but there's just a lot to like with him. Easy to see him make an impact in the NBA even though I don't foresee him becoming a star-level player.

he still has no idea how to use his body, which is either a good thing (means he hasn't scratched the surface yet) or a bad thing (he's soft/non-aggro) which means he'll always leave you wanting more.

there is a lot to like tho agreed.

The-Power · Post #26 » by **The-Power** » Sun Feb 19, 2023 7:22 am

Watch on YouTube

Those passes he flashes at 1:35 and 6:25 is what could turn him into an offensive hub/decision-making down the road. He just needs to either put enough scoring pressure on teams to create advantages or, more likely, be plugged into a system that runs a lot of off-ball actions.

CoreyVillains · Post #27 » by **CoreyVillains** » Sun Feb 19, 2023 3:48 pm

Jarace has been the number three prospect on my board since the pre-season. His game is going to pop even more at the NBA level when he gets to show off more of his playmaking.

Village Idiot · Post #28 » by **Village Idiot** » Mon Feb 20, 2023 1:22 pm

How is his screen setting and pick-and-roll game? I haven't seen much of it on the highlight videos.

With his passing and shooting skills he seems like the kind of guy who's value increases immensely if he can either pass out of the roll or pop for the open 3 much more than if he is a more stationary connector from the three point line.

TheSuzerain · Post #29 » by **TheSuzerain** » Mon Feb 20, 2023 4:14 pm

EMG518 wrote:He is probably my favorite prospect outside of Scoot.

Zero bust potential.

He is so good defensively and has the ability to be a low usage, but really effective offensive player that can fit in an offense and as his skills develop he can potentially do more.

I mostly agree with your assessment of him (although his bust risk is non-zero due to his shooting imo), but how does that translate to a top pick?

There's some natural upside with him being 19 years old, but I just don't see any tools that are exciting by NBA standards.

Low 2pt FG%, low FTR, and lowish rebounding doesn't exactly paint him as a big time athlete/physical player. And all of that against a weak schedule.

JMAC3 · Post #30 » by **JMAC3** » Mon Feb 20, 2023 4:47 pm

He was mostly invisible in the game I watched yesterday outside of a few nice passes.

EvanZ · Post #31 » by **EvanZ** » Mon Feb 20, 2023 6:05 pm

TheSuzerain wrote:
EMG518 wrote:He is probably my favorite prospect outside of Scoot.

Zero bust potential.

He is so good defensively and has the ability to be a low usage, but really effective offensive player that can fit in an offense and as his skills develop he can potentially do more.

I mostly agree with your assessment of him (although his bust risk is non-zero due to his shooting imo), but how does that translate to a top pick?

There's some natural upside with him being 19 years old, but I just don't see any tools that are exciting by NBA standards.

Low 2pt FG%, low FTR, and lowish rebounding doesn't exactly paint him as a big time athlete/physical player. And all of that against a weak schedule.

He can easily bust. I mean if Jarace doesn't shoot, then he's basically an undersized 5 kind of like Xavier Tillman.

SeattleJazzFan · Post #32 » by **SeattleJazzFan** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 2:24 pm

JMAC3 wrote:He was mostly invisible in the game I watched yesterday outside of a few nice passes.

i've come around on him and have him top 5 right now, but that has been my issue with him for much of the season. too many games where he just didn't do much of note. he had a stretch in december where in 8 of 10 games he scored in single digits. broke out a little bit in late january/early february and that's where i took notice, but his last three have been 6, 14 and 4. i like the unselfishness, but against memphis it just seemed like he went overboard with it and just wasn't aggressive offensively at all.

NYPiston · Post #33 » by **NYPiston** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 2:53 pm

SeattleJazzFan wrote:
i've come around on him and have him top 5 right now, but that has been my issue with him for much of the season. too many games where he just didn't do much of note. he had a stretch in december where in 8 of 10 games he scored in single digits. broke out a little bit in late january/early february and that's where i took notice, but his last three have been 6, 14 and 4. i like the unselfishness, but against memphis it just seemed like he went overboard with it and just wasn't aggressive offensively at all.

I think it's just difficult for a freshman big on a team loaded with upperclassmen that is championship quality to be a prominent player in the offense consistently. As is the case with a lot of players in this draft outside of the top 3 (I'll include Miller in the top 3), there will be a whole lot of projection based on tools moreso than production. What I like about Walker's progression is that he's flashed some playmaking chops in recent games, it shows that there's some real offensive growth left in him.

Hal14 · Post #34 » by **Hal14** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 2:57 pm

SeattleJazzFan wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:He was mostly invisible in the game I watched yesterday outside of a few nice passes.

i've come around on him and have him top 5 right now, but that has been my issue with him for much of the season. too many games where he just didn't do much of note. he had a stretch in december where in 8 of 10 games he scored in single digits. broke out a little bit in late january/early february and that's where i took notice, but his last three have been 6, 14 and 4. i like the unselfishness, but against memphis it just seemed like he went overboard with it and just wasn't aggressive offensively at all.

They didn't give him the ball, though. They didn't run stuff for him.

Houston runs everything for their guards (Sasser, Shead, Mark) and they throw it in to the post to Roberts a good amount as well.

Here's how Walker did when he was actually featured more on offense, last season at IMG..

Watch on YouTube

I have him number 5 on my board after Victor, Scoot, Miller and Amen.

JMAC3 · Post #35 » by **JMAC3** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 4:58 pm

I always get a bit nervous when a big man dominates in high school, but struggles once playing real size and real athletes.
I mean with his frame and athleticism he was always going to be a force vs teenagers.

He will get overdrafted IMO same as Patrick Williams. I think he probably should go more in the 7-9 range.

TheSuzerain · Post #36 » by **TheSuzerain** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 5:17 pm

SeattleJazzFan wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:He was mostly invisible in the game I watched yesterday outside of a few nice passes.

i've come around on him and have him top 5 right now, but that has been my issue with him for much of the season. too many games where he just didn't do much of note. he had a stretch in december where in 8 of 10 games he scored in single digits. broke out a little bit in late january/early february and that's where i took notice, but his last three have been 6, 14 and 4. i like the unselfishness, but against memphis it just seemed like he went overboard with it and just wasn't aggressive offensively at all.

This seems like a strange report to have for someone you have top 5.

Resorting to High school highlights also a red flag here.

SeattleJazzFan · Post #37 » by **SeattleJazzFan** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 6:31 pm

TheSuzerain wrote:
SeattleJazzFan wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:He was mostly invisible in the game I watched yesterday outside of a few nice passes.

i've come around on him and have him top 5 right now, but that has been my issue with him for much of the season. too many games where he just didn't do much of note. he had a stretch in december where in 8 of 10 games he scored in single digits. broke out a little bit in late january/early february and that's where i took notice, but his last three have been 6, 14 and 4. i like the unselfishness, but against memphis it just seemed like he went overboard with it and just wasn't aggressive offensively at all.

This seems like a strange report to have for someone you have top 5.

Resorting to High school highlights also a red flag here.

it's a concern. all prospects not named wembanyama have significant concerns about their games. i have scoot at 2 barely over brandon miller at three and it wouldn't wouldn't be difficult to make a post similar to the one above regarding the concerns i have about either of them.

hell, i have cam whitmore in my top 7 and i basically hate everything about how he plays basketball - with some guys, the upside of size and athleticism, and the hope that the spacing of the nba game will be better for them win out over some of the crap we see when they are 18 playing in the muddled world of d1 basketball.

sometimes people on this board seem to act like the guys they like are perfect or the guys they don't like are the worst prospects ever. i try to acknowledge weaknesses of guys i like and strengths of guys i don't like so much.

TheSuzerain · Post #38 » by **TheSuzerain** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 6:46 pm

SeattleJazzFan wrote:
TheSuzerain wrote:
SeattleJazzFan wrote:
i've come around on him and have him top 5 right now, but that has been my issue with him for much of the season. too many games where he just didn't do much of note. he had a stretch in december where in 8 of 10 games he scored in single digits. broke out a little bit in late january/early february and that's where i took notice, but his last three have been 6, 14 and 4. i like the unselfishness, but against memphis it just seemed like he went overboard with it and just wasn't aggressive offensively at all.

This seems like a strange report to have for someone you have top 5.

Resorting to High school highlights also a red flag here.

it's a concern. all prospects not named wembanyama have significant concerns about their games. i have scoot at 2 barely over brandon miller at three and it wouldn't wouldn't be difficult to make a post similar to the one above regarding the concerns i have about either of them.

hell, i have cam whitmore in my top 7 and i basically hate everything about how he plays basketball - with some guys, the upside of size and athleticism, and the hope that the spacing of the nba game will be better for them win out over some of the crap we see when they are 18 playing in the muddled world of d1 basketball.

sometimes people on this board seem to act like the guys they like are perfect or the guys they don't like are the worst prospects ever. i try to acknowledge weaknesses of guys i like and strengths of guys i don't like so much.

I think he's a lotto guy probably, but just too locked in at the lower end of the offensive totem pole (e.g. #4 or #5 option) for my taste.

Combine that with the shaky shooting peripherals that lowers the basement, and he seems like an overrated prospect based on consensus that consistently puts him top 5-7.

Whitmore has similar issues, but I feel like there's at least a glimmer of hope that he becomes a more dynamic offensive threat off the dribble and on the move.

BostonCouchGM · Post #39 » by **BostonCouchGM** » Wed Feb 22, 2023 2:00 am

JMAC3 wrote:He was mostly invisible in the game I watched yesterday outside of a few nice passes.

that was ugly. imho if you aren't a bus driver than you shouldn't be taken high in a draft. I see a lot of role player in him. Like an Isiah Stewart or Patrick Williams. I'm kinda down on him now tbh. If you can't find it within yourself to dominate in college, even for stretches, you'll get lost in the NBA. His shot is spotty, despite the high % from three (which is skewed due to two hot games back to back) and he lacks aggression. I can see the promise but he's really boom or bust and I can no longer see justifying him going top 10.

The-Power · Post #40 » by **The-Power** » Wed Feb 22, 2023 2:28 am

JMAC3 wrote:I always get a bit nervous when a big man dominates in high school, but struggles once playing real size and real athletes.

He doesn't struggle, though. He's playing like one of the best Freshmen in the country on a great team.

BostonCouchGM wrote:imho if you aren't a bus driver than you shouldn't be taken high in a draft.

There are perhaps 2-4 ‘bus drivers’ (if that means being the main offensive option on a team) in every draft and half of them develop into that rather unexpectedly (the vast majority of today's #1 options in the NBA weren't drafted in the top 3 or even top 5). So you don't draft anyone with the 3rd pick? JJJ and Mikal didn't project to be offensive leaders and yet they should have – and would be now – drafted in the top 5. People just overrate the top-end talent in the draft.