Jarace Walker opened up preseason play with a stat-stuffing performance against the Memphis Grizzlies.
by ARYA CHAWLA
This past June, the Indiana Pacers selected Jarace Walker with the No. 8 overall pick in the NBA Draft. The 20-year-old joins a young core headlined by all-star point guard Tyrese Haliburton as well as second-year wing Bennedict Mathurin and big man Isaiah Jackson.
Coming out of the University of Houston, Walker was best known for his defensive skills. The 6-foot-8 235-pound forward is a tank on that side of the ball, possessing the strength to guard bigger players and the quickness to guard smaller guys. However, he may be even more lethal as a help defender. He flies around the court to make disruptive rotations, and his knack for finding the ball leads to a lot of steals. Also, he isn’t the tallest rim protector, but his quick leaping ability still makes him a shot-blocker when in position. All in all, Walker averaged an impressive 1.4 steals and 1.9 blocks as a freshman last season.
But on the offensive side of the ball, there have always been more questions surrounding Walker. He shot below 35% on limited attempts from deep last season. His two-point scoring wasn’t particularly efficient either. The former Cougar did manage to average 16.3 points per game last year, but his 53.4 TS% mark indicates meddling efficient with this scoring.
Walker’s preseason debut yesterday against the Memphis Grizzlies was very encouraging, though. He notched a game-high 19 points while grabbing nine boards, dishing out four assists, prying two steals, and recording a block.
Defensively, Walker did a lot of what he’s been doing well for years. He swiftly jumped passing lanes and skied to reject shots as a helpside defender. These big-time defensive plays led to easy buckets for Indiana in transition.
Offensively is where he truly impressed. Inside Walker’s points were four converted shots from deep on only nine attempts. While just one game, this is a great sign regarding one of his biggest areas for improvement.
Walker will take the floor again tomorrow against the Houston Rockets. He’ll be up against fourth overall pick Amen Thompson in a battle of top-ten picks. He’ll look to continue his positive start to the season as he gears up for his rookie campaign.
Originally posted on si.com