Wizards take Jarace Walker of Houston basketball in 2023 NBA Draft, trade him to Indiana
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NEW YORK − Jarace Walker was selected by the Washington Wizards with the eighth pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, but he is headed to Indiana.
The Pacers had the No. 7 pick and Washington was at No. 8, but after Indiana took Bilal Coulibaly and the Wizards selected Walker, Commissioner Adam Silver announced the teams were exchanging the picks in a trade to be finalized later.
Walker, the York County native and former Houston Cougar, was the third college player chosen in Thursday's first round from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
"It's really not something I paid much mind to," Walker said about the pre-draft process. "I knew at the end of the day, I had no control of it."
Walker is known for his defensive prowess and versatility, his 7-foot-2 wingspan and his promising yet untapped offensive potential. He grew up playing basketball in small-town New Freedom, Pa., a few miles from the Mason-Dixon Line.
He bypassed his home high school, Susquehannock, leaving the area to become the rare ninth-grade varsity basketball player at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
"I honestly didn't expect myself to get to this point," Walker said. "It's not something at a younger age that I really thought about. Basketball is just what I love to do so I just continued to work hard and put in the effort."
He may be only the third NBA player ever with strong ties to York County. He became the highest-drafted Central Pa. native in more than 30 years − since Carlisle's Billy Owens was the No. 3 pick of the Sacramento Kings in 1991.
On Thursday, Walker was picked behind Alabama's Brandon Miller (2nd pick, Charlotte Hornets) and Arkansas' Anthony Black (6th, Orlando Magic).
Houston basketball's Jarace Walker: The positives
Walker is the ultimate "connector" prospect, the rare NBA rookie who can immediately elevate the lineup around him. He's most advanced defensively and has been praised for being able to guard big men and guards alike with his muscled, nearly 6-foot-8 frame.
He's shown high-level promise as a rebounder, passer and multi-faceted scorer.
His college, per-game stat averages from last year showed the versatility and potential: 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 blocks. He also shot nearly 35 percent from 3-point range.
"Every team loves having a player who can make others better and whose style is designed to make everyone better. Walker is going to be that player for some team," according to a draft analysis by the Orlando Magic Daily's Fansided site. "It is hard to imagine his hard-working style not paying off."
The concerns
While Walker's offensive growth is expected, it's difficult to quantify. Was he not a dominant scorer in high school and college simply because he was never asked or needed to be? He's worked relentlessly to improve his outside shooting but still must elevate that part of his game, especially when contested. His foul shooting (66 percent at Houston) also is a concern.
Secondly, he must be able to absorb the kind of physical pounding defensively, and thrive. How durable will he be while guarding larger opponents and working consistently around the basket?
Why is he an NBA lottery pick? How college life flies fast for Jarace Walker: Is the NBA calling in June?
Jarace Walker, in the beginning: One of the nation's top 8th-grade basketball stars is at Susquehannock. But will he stay?
Final thoughts
His versatility is his calling card, especially his unique qualities on the defensive end. But his intangibles are what truly make him so valuable and a first-round steal.
Walker has proven to be a model citizen who will quietly outwork most everyone else to improve his game − and to make those around him better, unselfishly so. He is super-intelligent and savvy on the court.
No matter how far his offensive game expands, he figures to be an immediate contributor and team uplifter. Even if he doesn't earn the splashy, big points-per-game recognition doing it.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on Twitter @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Washington picks Jarace Walker in NBA Draft, trades him to Indiana
