It is almost March, which signifies March Madness, and the unofficial (or official, in some people’s cases) start of the NBA Draft season. While we will be profiling upward of 70 Draft prospects between now and Draft night on Thunderous Intentions, I will also begin doing a weekly Draft notebook as we ramp up our prospect coverage. Let’s tip this off with Jarace Walker.
I just grabbed another cup of coffee from the office Keurig because I know this will be a long one. I love Jarace Walker‘s potential fit with the Oklahoma City Thunder and am incredibly optimistic about his NBA trajectory. This will certainly not be the last time we dive into Walker.
Houston Cougars forward Jarace Walker appears to be a perfect fit for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Jarace Walker is a popular name among Thunder fans, and for a good reason. His 6’8 240 pound frame leaves OKC fans envisioning him paired with Chet Holmgren down low for next year’s squad. At Houston, the forward has played in 27 games, turning in 11 points, six rebounds, and nearly two assists per game, shooting 48 percent from the floor, 36 percent from distance, and 61 percent at the line.
Jarace Walker is still 19 years old and has displayed a high-level passing ability for a big man. This is important for the OKC Thunder, who are building this everyone is a playmaker style of basketball and will ask all five guys on the floor to be good decision-makers.
Jarace Walker is from New Freedom, PA, and split his high school time at Susquehannock, PA, and the IMG Academy in Florida. Now, the 19-year-old is part of one of the country’s best Men’s basketball programs, being coached by Kelvin Sampson.
Let’s dive into Jarace Walker’s defensive and offensive potential.