Four-star Ja'Kobe Walter Discusses Recruitment, Unofficial Visits
Ja’Kobe Walter, an elite prospect within the class of 2023, is taking his recruitment seriously and has already seen several college campus. The McKinney, Texas native has been to Oklahoma, Baylor, and SMU.
Walter’s Thoughts on the Oklahoma Sooners
Walter’s first trip was out to Norman, Oklahoma to see the Sooners.
“It was great,” he said. “I got to meet Coach Moser for the first time. They welcomed me..we went and visited their dorms. They had a movie theater in there so that was cool. I know a couple people down there like CJ Noland and Billy Bowman, who plays football.”
The Sooners have made Walter a priority. He is the only shooting guard that they’ve extended an offer to within the 2023 class. It’s also important to note that Walter plays for Team Trae Young on the adidas circuit. It’s no secret that Trae Young himself is one of the more popular Sooners in recent memory.
Walter’s Thoughts on the Baylor Bears
Next, Ja’Kobe Walter traveled just a couple hours down the road to see the national champs, Baylor University.
“That visit… You could tell they planned it. Like their itinerary. They really wanna help me after college. We even did an NBA interview to help prepare me for the future. They also mentioned they are looking for champions.”
It’s no secret that the Baylor Bears are using their recent success (and championship ring) in order to give themselves a leg up in recruiting. “They even had me take a personality test,” he said. “To see how each person should be coached, and so you can also see what your teammates would be like and the kind’ve people they are.”
Baylor is also prioritizing Walter, as he is, once again, the only shooting guard they’ve offered within the 2023 class.
Walter’s Thoughts on the SMU Mustangs
Lastly, Walter made the short drive (3o minutes) to Dallas to see SMU.
“Coach King, he took me around campus and told me about how successful people have been that went to SMU. They have really good eduction, especially their business school. They really focus on the education part.”
SMU might be the ‘hometown school’ but that doesn’t mean he feels any pressure to stay close. “I don’t really care if I go away or stay home,” he said. “It’s not a big thought of mine but of course you want your family to come and watch.”
Baylor and SMU aren’t the only in-state schools recruiting Walter. Texas, Texas Tech, and TCU have also extended offers. He also plans to visit Oklahoma State and Alabama in the near future. Fun fact: Walter and his family are die-hard Alabama football fans. He was actually born in Birmingham, AL, where much of his extended family still resides.
It might be too soon for the ‘blue bloods’ to come knocking on the door for the junior-to-be, but that won’t stop him from hoping and praying. His dream schools? Duke and North Carolina.