 Walker with Houston in 2023 | |
| No. 5 – Indiana Pacers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Power forward |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 4, 2003 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| College | Houston (2022–2023) |
| NBA draft | 2023: 1st round, 8th overall pick |
| Selected by the Washington Wizards | |
| Playing career | 2023–present |
| Career history | |
| 2023–present | Indiana Pacers |
| 2023–2024 | →Indiana Mad Ants |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Jarace Isaiah Walker (/ˈdʒɛərəs/ JAIR-əss; born September 4, 2003) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Houston Cougars. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2022 class.
High school career
Walker attended Susquehannock High School in York County, Pennsylvania for his freshman year before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.[1][2][3] As a senior, he averaged 16.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and four assists per game. He was selected to play in the 2022 McDonalds All-American Game.[4]
Recruiting
Walker was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2022 class, according to major recruiting services. On November 4, 2021, he committed to playing college basketball for Houston over offers from Alabama and Auburn.[5][6]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jarace Walker PF |
New Freedom, PA | IMG Academy (FL) | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | Nov 4, 2021 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 92 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 12 247Sports: 12 ESPN: 10 | ||||||
Sources:
| ||||||
Professional career
Indiana Pacers (2023—present)
The Washington Wizards selected Walker with the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft and traded him to the Indiana Pacers along with two future second-round picks for the draft rights to Bilal Coulibaly, the seventh overall pick.[7] Walker became the highest-drafted prospect from the University of Houston since Hall-of-Famer Hakeem Olajuwon was taken with the first overall pick by the Houston Rockets in 1984.[8] On July 1, 2023, Walker signed his rookie contract with the Pacers alongside the 26th overall pick Ben Sheppard.[9]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Houston | 36 | 35 | 27.6 | .465 | .347 | .663 | 6.8 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 11.2 |
References
- ↑ "Superstar seventh-grader Jarace Walker facing life-changing decision". March 20, 2017.
- ↑ Bodani, Frank. "Susquehannock basketball phenom Jarace Walker taking his talents out of state". York Daily Record.
- ↑ ROSE, ROB. "York County sophomore sensation Jarace Walker impresses despite IMG Academy's loss at UMBC". York Dispatch.
- ↑ "Houston signee Jarace Walker named McDonald's All-American".
- ↑ "5-star forward Walker says he'll play for Houston". ESPN.com. November 5, 2021.
- ↑ "UH lands commitment from Jarace Walker, nation's top high school power forward".
- ↑ Wallace, Ava (23 June 2023). "Wizards, with eye on long-term future, take French project Bilal Coulibaly". Washington Post. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ↑ "NBA Draft 2023: Former UH star Jarace Walker selected #8 overall". FoxSports. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ↑ "Pacers Sign Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard". HoopsRumors. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.