Raptors Select Baylor Guard Ja’Kobe Walter with 19th Pick in NBA Draft

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Baylor basketball guard and reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Ja’Kobe Walter, was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 19th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Walter is the fourth consecutive Bear to be selected within the top 20 of the draft, joining Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell (No. 9, 2021), San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (No. 9, 2022) and Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (No. 16, 2023).

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Ja’Kobe Walter joins Davion Mitchell, Jeremy Sochan and Keyonte George as the fourth consecutive Bear to be selected within the top 20 of the NBA draft.

En route to an All-Conference Third-Team selection this past season, Walter averaged 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. 

A projected first-round pick out of Link Academy, Walter fulfilled those expectations, scoring the second-most points (508) by a Baylor freshman in program history. He had a team-high eight contests in which he scored 20-plus, including a career-high 28-point performance in his collegiate debut against Auburn.

Known for his silky smooth jump shot, Walter shot 34% from three-point range and 79% at the charity stripe during his time in Waco. The Ringer evaluated the 6-foot-4 guard as a “dynamic perimeter shooter who thrives off screens and handoffs … he has all the traits of a confident go-to scorer who can drain shots even when under pressure.”