Ja'Kobe Amare Walter (born September 4, 2004) is an American basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Baylor Bears. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class.
 | |
| No. 14 – Toronto Raptors | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 4, 2004 Dallas, Texas, U.S |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| College | Baylor (2023–2024) |
| NBA draft | 2024: 1st round, 19th overall pick |
| Selected by the Toronto Raptors | |
| Playing career | 2024–present |
| Career history | |
| 2024–present | Toronto Raptors |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
Early life and high school career
Walter grew up in McKinney, Texas and initially attended McKinney High School.[1] A shooting guard, he averaged 23.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game as a junior as McKinney won the state championship.[2] Walter transferred to Link Academy in Branson, Missouri prior to the start of his senior year.[3] Walter was selected to play in the 2023 McDonald's All-American Boys Game during his senior year.[4][5] He was also selected to play for Team USA in the Nike Hoops Summit.[6]
Recruiting
Walter was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class, according to major recruiting services.[7][8][9] On June 22, 2022, he committed to playing college basketball for Baylor over offers from Texas, Auburn, and Alabama.[10]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ja'Kobe Walter SG | McKinney, TX | Link Academy (MO) | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | Jun 22, 2022 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 93 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 13 247Sports: 8 ESPN: 8 | ||||||
Sources:
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College career
Walter enrolled at Baylor University in June 2023 to take part in summer practices.[11] In his college debut against Auburn, Walter set the Baylor school record for points in a debut by a freshman, netting 28 on the night.[12] He averaged 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. Walter was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year.[13]
Professional career
Toronto Raptors (2024–present)
On June 26, 2024, Walter was selected with the 19th overall pick by the Toronto Raptors in the 2024 NBA draft[14] and on July 4, he signed with them.[15]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Baylor | 35 | 35 | 32.3 | .376 | .341 | .792 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 1.1 | .2 | 14.5 |
Personal life
Walter is a Christian.[16]