Ja'Kobe Walter
2023-24 Stats: 14.5 PPG/4.4 RPG/1.4 APG/1.1 SPG/0.2 BPG on 54.1% True Shooting (35 Games)
Unlike Knecht, da Silva, and Holmes (all of whom have played three or more years in college), selecting Ja'Kobe Walter would be more about his upside than his current production.
The Ja'Kobe Walter "Sales Pitch"
— League Him (@League_Him) June 14, 2024
🟢 19-year-old freshman wing, Baylor
🟢 6'5 ½" with a 6-foot-10 wingspan
🟢 14.5 PTS, 4.4 REB, 1.1 STL
🟢 Versatile shotmaking ability
🟢 Comfortable firing off screens, turning either shoulder w/ adaptable footwork.
🟢 Promising defensive tools pic.twitter.com/zAoEAIIvch
Walter only shot 34.1% on his 6.3 threes per game, but that mark vastly underrates his ability as a marksman. As the video montage in the tweet above indicates, Walter's shot diet during his freshman year at Baylor was a complex one that showcased his potential as a movement shooter. And where Holmes' free throw shooting percentage is a cause for concern, Walter's conversation rate (79.2% last year) functions as a beckon of hope.
Along with his outside shooting flashes, Walter boasts a 6'10 wingspan. This makes him a strong candidate to provide some plus rim protection at the two-guard spot. Like da Silva, his block rate wasn't great in college (34th percentile in the Big 12 last season). But given his condor-like arms (and the Kings' scheme), I could easily see a world where he's an above-average rim protector for his position.
Movement shooting and above-average rim protection at the shooting guard position is a recipe for an adequate replacement for Huerter (again, if the Kings choose to trade him this offseason).