Jarace Walker

Draft Notes

Jarace is a big forward with tons of natural strength. He’s got big shoulders and a rock solid frame, while also showing good agility and vertical explosion. He fits the mold of modern day 4 or small ball 5.

Walker is a versatile player who can play multiple roles on both ends of the floor. He can guard up and down the line-up and has the strength to hold his own in the paint against “true” centers. He’s a good rim protector, especially coming from the weak-side. His plus wingspan really shows up on D.

He’s a load to handle when driving to the basket, using his big frame to shield defenders and bully his way to the hoop. His growth/improvement on the offensive end has been impressive – and he’ll continue to refine his iso scoring and play-making ability.

One thing that really stands out is how quick, agile and nimble he is for his size, which makes him really hard to defend. He can blow-by bigger defenders and overpower smaller defenders.

Has a nice compact jump shot which shows a lot of promise. This isn’t a strength of his game at this point but he’ll very likely develop a solid 3pt shot in time. His mid range game is already far advanced.

Comparisons

• more versatile John Collins
• Paul Milsap

Draft Projection

mid lottery to mid first round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

2023 Power Forwards

1. Gregory Jackson – 6-9 – South Carolina
2. Jarace Walker – 6-8 – Houston
3. Kyle Filipowski – 7-0 – Duke
4. Kris Murray – 6-8 – Iowa
5. Brice Sensabaugh – 6-6 – Ohio State
6. Trayce Jackson-Davis – 6-9 – Indiana
7. Adama Sanogo – 6-9 – UConn
8. Grant Nelson – 6-11 – NDSU
9. Mouhamed Gueye – 6-10 – Washington State
10. Azuolas Tubelis – 6-9 – Arizona (Lithuania)
11. Oso Ighodaro – 6-9 – Marquette
12. Ousmane N’Diaye – 6-11 – Senegal
13. John Castleton – 6-11 – Florida
14. Roko Prkacin – 6-9 – Croatia
15. Keion Brooks – 6-8 – Washington
16. Drew Timme – 6-10 – Gonzaga
17. Pete Nance – 6-10 – Northwestern
18. Leonardo Okeke – 6-9 – Italy
19. Anton Watson – 6-9 – Gonzaga 
20. Jacob Toppin – 6-7 – Kentucky
21. Toumani Camara – 6-8 – Dayton