5 most irresponsible 2023 NBA Draft prospect comparisons

Irresponsible NBA Draft prospect comparisons: 1. Jarace Walker is not Tim Thomas

I’m not sure this NBA Draft prospect comparison can fit neatly into any of the categories we’ve talked about above because it falls apart on a number of fronts. Walker’s profile is of a unique defensive prospect, someone with the size and strength to bang with bigs but the quickness and mobility to switch out on players much smaller. What pops most in looking at his profile is motor, defensive awareness and physical tools.

Tim Thomas was long and mobile but not explosive in nearly the same way and nowhere near as strong or powerful as Walker. He was a decent defender and blocked some shots; he also played in a different era where defensive responsibilities for a non-center were perhaps simpler and more well-defined. But he was never, at any point, before or during his team in the NBA seen as a foundational defensive piece like Walker.

And then there is the shooting. Thomas attempted more 3-pointers than Walker, and in an era where bigs shooting 3s was still a relatively fresh idea. But things only took off from there. From his fourth season in the NBA to the end of his career, Thomas made 37.3 percent of his 3s and more than 35 percent of his shots came from beyond the arc — topping out at 49.2 percent in 2006-07 with the Clippers. Walker may develop as a shooter but comparing him to a player for whom the 3-pointer became the defining feature of their offensive game feels way off base.

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