NBA Draft 2023: 5 way-too-early Rookie of the Year favorites
2023 NBA Draft: No. 4 Rookie of the Year candidate, Jarace Walker
Scouting Report. F. 100. Pick Analysis. Houston. Jarace Walker. 8. player
The Pacers pulled a rabbit out of the hat, trading back one spot from No. 7 to No. 8 to acquire two future second-round picks while still getting the guy everyone thought they wanted in Houston’s Jarace Walker. And he’s a tremendous fit on both ends for an Indiana team not far from playoff contention in the East.
Walker and Myles Turner will immediately form one of the most intimidating defensive backlines in the NBA. Turner is a perennial candidate to lead the league in blocked shots; Walker can comfortably switch 1-5 while handling physical matchups in the post and offering weak-side rim protection of his own.
The defensive upside alone makes Walker a home-run selection in the No. 8 spot, but he was the No. 5 prospect on the FanSided board because his upside stretches to both ends of the floor. Walker is a very talented face-up scorer capable of leveraging his brute strength and balletic footwork for impressive finishes around the rim.
Indiana should get plenty of mileage out of Walker as a pick-and-roll partner for Tyrese Haliburton. Meanwhile, he has flashed shooting range out to the 3-point line and he’s one of the best frontcourt passers in the draft. If he can make defenders close out to the perimeter, Walker will wreak havoc as a driver with heads-up playmaking skill. The two-man actions with Walker and Haliburton or Mathurin should pay dividends for the Pacers.
Walker feels like a rookie who won’t take long to impact winning in the NBA. The Pacers need to stay healthy, but the team was on track for a playoff berth last season before injuries struck. Haliburton makes everyone around him better and Walker does all the little things to win over fans and award voters alike.