:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72391484/1476066653.0.jpg "Jarace Walker scouting report: 2023 NBA Draft profile, strengths, weaknesses, projections, player comparison")
The 2023 NBA Draft order has been set and the list of eligible players is officially locked in. We will look at the top prospects in the draft, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and provide a player comparison for how we see them developing at the next level. Here's a look at Houston forward Jarace Walker.
Jarace Walker Draft Profile
Walker is one of the most intriguing prospects in the NBA Draft, while doing so as a freshman, and at the big man position. He was arguably Houston's most electrifying player at times during the 2022-23 season, and he has set the bar high for the other frontcourt players in the current draft class.
There's always going to be a player who has something unique to help them stand out to organizations around the league. In Walker's case, it appears to be his strength. He averaged 6.8 rebounds per game last season while finishing second on the team in scoring (11.2 PPG) behind Marcus Sasser. Standing at 6-foot-8, 240 pounds, Walker has great upside on box-outs and uses his physicality to outmuscle opponents for second-chance opportunities. He doesn't possess the top-heavy stature of many power forwards and centers around the league, which will make him a more versatile asset to shift in the rotation.
Walker isn't going to be any team's No. 1, or even No. 2 option in the offense. There's plenty to be desired with his shooting and ball-handling ability, leaving teams limited on the floor-spacing front.