2024 NBA Draft: Taylor Rooks x Ja'Kobe Walter.
• Download the NBA App
• NBA Draft: List of picks, trades
The Raptors entered the 2024 NBA Draft with the No. 19 and No. 31 overall picks.
No. 19 pick: Ja’Kobe Walter
As a high school junior in McKinney, TX, Walter won the state championship. For his senior campaign, he transferred to Link Academy in Branson, MO where he was selected to play in the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game and for Team USA in the Nike Hoops Summit. A five-star recruit, he committed to playing college ball for Baylor. During the 2023-24 season, Walter was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and voted Third-Team All-Big 12. Across his 35 appearances, he averaged 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 32.3 minutes.
First and foremost, Walter is a three-point shooter. Of his 10.9 shot attempts per game, 6.3 of them came from distance. He drained 2.1 per game at 34.1 percent.
While that’s not an elite number, he took plenty of difficult movement triples. He’s capable of pump faking and driving off his three-point threat, but he’s not a top-shelf athlete and needs to work on his finishing around the basket. He’ll often pump fake to push in and shoot a mid-ranger. Taking a step forward as a ballhandler and passer would do wonders for his potential. — RotoWire. Go deeper.
No. 31 pick: Jonathan Mogbo
Mogbo projects as an undersized center at the NBA level who can use his plus wingspan and strength to hold his own. Part of what locks him into that role is his complete absence of a three-ball, though he shot a career-high 69.2% from the charity stripe last season, suggesting a mid-range shot could develop. Regardless, the strengths of his offensive game are his finishing ability inside, his rebounding and his playmaking.
He’s great at the standard big-man game, but he’s shown off intriguing passing upside and some ballhandling potential that makes him diverse in the halfcourt and difficult to deal with in transition. Mogbo has defensive upside and has shown the potential to switch onto the perimeter with some lateral quickness, but he does have a tendency to gamble. He may also struggle to be a high-level shot blocker at the NBA level due to his height and average vertical athleticism. — RotoWire. Go deeper.
No. 45 pick: Jamal Shead
- DRAFT TRADE: Raptors reportedly acquire Shead from Kings
Shead’s biggest strength is his standout perimeter defense. The 6-foot guard is adept at navigating screens, keeping opponents in front of him, and forcing turnovers through jumping passing lanes and maintaining active hands. Shead is also a good playmaker, able to find teammates all over the court as a primary ball-handler. — RotoWire. Go deeper.
No. 57 pick: Ulrich Chomche
- DRAFT TRADE: Raptors reportedly acquire Chomche from Wolves
Chomche is the youngest player eligible for the 2024 NBA Draft and barely reached the age limit as he was born Dec. 30, 2005. There’s a tiny sample size regarding his stats as he spent the 2023-24 season with the NBA Academy Africa.
He only played three games for them during the Basketball Africa League qualifiers in which he averaged 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal per game while shooting 42.4% from the field, 38.1% from 3-point range and 75% from the foul line. The numbers were impressive and so was his two-way versatility, though the eye test quickly indicates he’s far more polished on the defensive end. — RotoWire. Go deeper.
