With the 19th Pick, the Raptors select Ja'Kobe Walter!

WuTang_CMB · Post #661 » by **WuTang_CMB** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 1:29 am

BACKGROUND: Parents are Sabrina and Eddie. Walter’s father, Eddie, played at Birmingham-Southern. Walter got into basketball at a young age and continued to
grow. He also played football and had a potential Division I future in that sport but decided to focus on basketball as a freshman in high school. He was identified
early as an elite player within his age group and has won on every level. He began his career at McKinney High School in the suburban Dallas area and got his first
high-major offer — from Baylor — before his sophomore season. He continued to blow up as a junior, leading McKinney to a runner-up finish in the 6A Texas state
tournament behind a Duncanville team led by current NBAer Anthony Black and fellow 2024 draft class member Ron Holland. Due to some absurd Texas court rulings,
McKinney was declared the winner of that game after Black was ruled an ineligible transfer. Walter left McKinney following that season to attend powerhouse Link
Academy in Missouri, where he played alongside other high-end prospects such as Elliot Cadeau, Aaron Rowe, Cam Carr, James Brown and more. Walter led Link to
victory in the GEICO Nationals tournament, in effect becoming the best player on the country’s best high school team. A five-star recruit, Walter committed to Baylor
in the summer before his senior season — exactly two years after it became the first school to send him a scholarship offer. He had a solid freshman season at Baylor,
doing whatever coach Scott Drew asked of him with a great attitude. He helped Baylor to a 24-11 record and a third-place finish in the Big 12, leading the team in
scoring, making third-team All-Big-12 and winning the conference’s Rookie of the Year award. The Bears were then eliminated in the second round of the NCAA
Tournament.

Chalky_White · Post #662 » by **Chalky_White** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 4:56 pm

C_Money wrote:
Chalky_White wrote:There's a chance that Bruce Brown still being on the team to start the season results in Ja'Kobe being out of the rotation initially, which would be quite the own goal.

Assuming RJ and Gradey as the wing starters, Bruce/Ochai/Ja'kobe will be competing for two spots.

There’s no need for Ochai to be playing. Ideally Bruce Brown will get traded though.

They gave up a 1st to get him and Olynyk, he absolutely needs to play. Even only for his defense, which remains elite.

PoundTown · Post #663 » by **PoundTown** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 5:04 pm

Chalky_White wrote:
C_Money wrote:
Chalky_White wrote:There's a chance that Bruce Brown still being on the team to start the season results in Ja'Kobe being out of the rotation initially, which would be quite the own goal.

Assuming RJ and Gradey as the wing starters, Bruce/Ochai/Ja'kobe will be competing for two spots.

There’s no need for Ochai to be playing. Ideally Bruce Brown will get traded though.

They gave up a 1st to get him and Olynyk, he absolutely needs to play. Even only for his defense, which remains elite.

Yeah, Agbaji looked like a knockdown shooter in college. He shot a good percentage on a high volume. Really weird that he seems like a below average shooter from there now. He looked like he'd definitely be at least an OG level shooter. If he can refind his stroke he will be in the league for awhile, and if he can't, he won't be.

WuTang_CMB · Post #664 » by **WuTang_CMB** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 6:49 pm

https://youtu.be/snMIiSSFj4o?t=4433

ArthurVandelay · Post #665 » by **ArthurVandelay** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 7:01 pm

WuTang_OG wrote:https://youtu.be/snMIiSSFj4o?t=4433

Guaranteed none of those guys watched a Raptors game this year…except maybe Avery Johnson.

Love how the narrative is framed as Gary leaving or walking vs Raptors moving on.

….yes I’m an insecure Raptors fan lol

WuTang_CMB · Post #666 » by **WuTang_CMB** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 7:14 pm

ArthurVandelay wrote:
WuTang_OG wrote:https://youtu.be/snMIiSSFj4o?t=4433

Guaranteed none of those guys watched a Raptors game this year…except maybe Avery Johnson.

Love how the narrative is framed as Gary leaving or walking vs Raptors moving on.

….yes I’m an insecure Raptors fan lol

not wrong lol
I think JKW will surprise some looking back on the draft in 2 years on how the hell did he fall to 19

20 yrs old, talent and situation are all in his favour

YogurtProducer · Post #667 » by **YogurtProducer** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 7:48 pm

PoundTown wrote:
Chalky_White wrote:
C_Money wrote:
There’s no need for Ochai to be playing. Ideally Bruce Brown will get traded though.

They gave up a 1st to get him and Olynyk, he absolutely needs to play. Even only for his defense, which remains elite.

Yeah, Agbaji looked like a knockdown shooter in college. He shot a good percentage on a high volume. Really weird that he seems like a below average shooter from there now. He looked like he'd definitely be at least an OG level shooter. If he can refind his stroke he will be in the league for awhile, and if he can't, he won't be.

Ochai if he finds his stroke is a possible starting level player in the NBA. Dark horse to start for us this year, and IMO I would advocate for it just to put him on other teams best defender.

IQ/Ochai/RJ/Scottie/Poeltl

Bench of:

Davion/Shead
Walter/Dick
Brown
Sasha (if he stay)
Olynyk

I don't think it is a bad thing at all if Walter/Dick have competition for minutes. Walking in the door no one should be guaranteed minutes - they should be earned.

WuTang_CMB · Post #668 » by **WuTang_CMB** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 8:36 pm

Donovan Mitchell: Standing just 6'1 ¼ without shoes, Mitchell has less than ideal height for a NBA shooting guard, but compensates for that with a gigantic 6'10 wingspan

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1airnsy/donovan_mitchell_height/

skill goes a long way. not comparing games, just think the super + wingspan will help him at the NBA level even at 6'4 on the wing

LoveMyRaps · Post #669 » by **LoveMyRaps** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 9:57 pm

Would be delighted if he can be NAW 2.0

C_Money · Post #670 » by **C_Money** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 10:04 pm

LoveMyRaps wrote:Would be delighted if he can be NAW 2.0

That would be disappointing. He should be much better offensively by the time he hits his prime.

deeps6x · Post #671 » by **deeps6x** » Wed Jul 10, 2024 10:13 pm

TimeForChange wrote:

Read on Twitter

So ... should his name be Jo'Kobe?

Why Ja?

ATLTimekeeper · Post #672 » by **ATLTimekeeper** » Thu Jul 11, 2024 12:39 pm

deeps6x wrote:
TimeForChange wrote:

Read on Twitter

So ... should his name be Jo'Kobe?

Why Ja?

Jacoby is an actual name, and sounds better than JoeKobe.

WuTang_CMB · Post #673 » by **WuTang_CMB** » Thu Jul 11, 2024 3:30 pm

analysis on high school tape

Watch on YouTube

Post #674 » by **niQ** » Fri Jul 12, 2024 6:54 pm

Stumbled onto this video that was from 7 months ago. JaKobe was ranked pretty high back then.

Watch on YouTube

WuTang_CMB · Post #675 » by **WuTang_CMB** » Fri Jul 12, 2024 7:05 pm

niQ wrote:Stumbled onto this video that was from 7 months ago. JaKobe was ranked pretty high back then.

Watch on YouTube

think we got a steal in a weak top draft ... at 19

Dalek · Post #676 » by **Dalek** » Fri Jul 12, 2024 7:05 pm

Read on Twitter

Love this ESPN clip on Ja'Kobe. Discussion about his catch and shoot and fluidity in his jumper made them mention the Devin Booker comparison. Walter still needs to add weight and strength, but as he develops in 1.5 years he should be closer to his true form.

This year, by just sticking to C&S he can be effective. Last season on all unguarded catch and shoot jumpers he shot 44.8% from behind the arc. He was also 42.1% off ball screens. Kid is a lethal shooter and the main reason we can part with Trent Jr. and not stress out.

djsunyc · Post #677 » by **djsunyc** » Fri Jul 12, 2024 7:29 pm

i don't have the stats nor do i know where to look but it seemed that our offense under darko generated a whole lot of open looks - hopefully this guy can become a knockdown guy like gradey did.

StopitLeo · Post #678 » by **StopitLeo** » Fri Jul 12, 2024 7:44 pm

PoundTown wrote:Yeah, Agbaji looked like a knockdown shooter in college. He shot a good percentage on a high volume. Really weird that he seems like a below average shooter from there now. He looked like he'd definitely be at least an OG level shooter. If he can refind his stroke he will be in the league for awhile, and if he can't, he won't be.

His problem is above-the-break 3s where he isn't strong enough so his mechanics break down (true for a lot of guys). He needs to sit in the corners until he develops his range. Last year he shot 37% from the corners and the year prior he shot 45.8%. Over the past two seasons combined he has shot 81/195 from the corners —that's 41.5%.

Hopefully Darko will put him in a position to succeed.

PoundTown · Post #679 » by **PoundTown** » Fri Jul 12, 2024 10:01 pm

djsunyc wrote:i don't have the stats nor do i know where to look but it seemed that our offense under darko generated a whole lot of open looks - hopefully this guy can become a knockdown guy like gradey did.

I LOVED Darko's offence. The 0.5 offence is great. What I didn't love is his Defence. Masai needs to find a Nurse or Chris Finch style defensive coach and make Darko let said coach have the autonomy to control the entire D.

Ja'Kobe was as high of a ceiling pick as we probably could have taken. Curious to see how far he can bring his dribble drive game, because his shot should have enough gravity to open up some lanes and attack some close outs that way. I have his most likely comp being something along the lines of Prime THJ but with average defense instead of terrible D. Not sure I'm buying him being a plus defender quite yet just because he has long arms and puts in a solid effort. But saying that, that's not his ceiling, just something I personally think is plausible. Hopefully, he surpasses what I think he will be.

deeps6x · Post #680 » by **deeps6x** » Sat Jul 13, 2024 1:10 am

niQ wrote:Stumbled onto this video that was from 7 months ago. JaKobe was ranked pretty high back then.

Watch on YouTube

He was ranked #7 by these guys once upon a time.
https://hoopshype.com/lists/2024-aggregate-mock-draft-zac-risacher-nikola-topic-cody-williams-reed-sheppard-rising/

I'm looking forward to seeing him in action tomorrow.