Baylor guard declares for NBA Draft

Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter has decided to enter the NBA Draft, announcing his intentions in an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic.

“After praying and just talking to my family about it, I’ve just decided that I’m going to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft,” Walter said. “My reasoning for that, all my life I’ve been working super hard and this has always been a goal of mine. … I’m pretty proud of how I did this past season, and I’m just confident, so after just talking, that’s what I decided to do.”

The 6-foot-5 Walter was one of the top recruits in the nation heading into college. He made an immediate impact with the Bears as a freshman, starting all 35 games he played and averaging 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 37.6 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from three-point range. He was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and earned third-team all-conference honors.

Walter is viewed as a potential lottery pick heading into the early stages of the draft process. ESPN has him listed at No. 12 on its list of the top 100 prospects, stating that his explosive scoring combined with his defensive prowess could make him a valuable pickup.

“The biggest thing I want (NBA teams) to know is that I’m a competitor offensively and defensively,” Walter told Charania. “I’m going to give everything I’ve got. Unselfish player, if I’ve got to just rebound and crash the glass and dive on the floor to win, then I’m going to do that to win, but I think there’s a lot more to my game, especially my shooting. I think I’m the best shooter in the draft, and these past few weeks I’ve been working on my shooting more. Just a very elite shooter who can space the floor, and my handle is getting better so I’m going to be able to create my own shots off the dribble and get to my mid-range.”