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Washington Wizards select Jarace Walker in 2023 NBA Draft, trade him to Indiana Pacers

Nikki Chavanelleby: Nikki Chavanelle06/23/23NikkiChavanelle

The Washington Wizards have selected former Houston Cougars star Jarace Walker with the No. 8 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Walker, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound power forward, played one season for the Cougs before opting to declare for the draft.

In his single collegiate season, Walker won AAC Rookie of the Year and made the All-AAC Second Team. He averaged 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.23 combined blocks-plus-steals per game.

Walker played a huge part in the Cougars’ run to the third round of the NCAA tournament, making 35 starts in 36 appearances.

A standout at IMG Academy, Jarace Walker averaged 16.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and four assists per game before signing with Houston. He also earned a nod as a McDonald’s All-American. Born in Baltimore, Walker played basketball in Pennsylvania before making the move to Bradenton, Florida as a freshman in high school.

A consensus top-15 prospect, Walker was a five-star coming out of IMG. He was the No. 14 overall recruit in the nation, according to the On3 Consensus rankings.

What NBA Draft experts are saying about Jarace Walker

Analysts have compared Jarace Walker to former NBA greats Larry Johnson or Corey Maggette, also Draymond Green who is tilted more towards scoring rather than passing. He has future Defensive Player of the Year-type potential, which is why experts projected him as a high selection in the lottery.

“Walker’s bulkiness mixed with his lateral movement as a forward has made him into one of the best defensive prospects in his class,” according to RotoWire. “He’s shown the ability to both prevent bigs from bullying him and switch out on the perimeter to cut off ballhandlers. The off-ball instincts are great as well, so he can rack up help-side blocks and jump into passing lanes.

“Offensively, he showed catch-and-shoot three potential at Houston, which he’ll need to utilize if playing next to a traditional big. But Walker’s strong from and vertical athleticism still make him an option in the pick-and-roll. When defenses collapse, he often makes the right pass.”