Ja'Kobe Walter talks Auburn, Alabama; who else will the 4-star visit?

On3 imageby:Jamie Shaw04/12/22

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Ja’Kobe Walter is the No. 21 player in the 2023 On3 Consensus. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard from McKinney (TX) High is a smooth shooter and pure scorer playing for Team Trae Young on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit.

“I am a two-way player, a shooter for sure, Walter told On3. “But I am really a scorer. I’m becoming a more consistent and comfortable guard. I get to my spots and handle the ball under pressure. I watch a lot of Kawhi Leonard and how he is a two-way wing, also a lot of Kevin Durant. I’m not saying I am like him, but his hesitation game and how he goes and gets buckets.”

He exploded for 34 points in the 8 AM game on Sunday with coaches from across the country watching. On3 caught up with Ja’Kobe Walter after this game to see where things stood with his recruitment.

“I have taken official visits to Alabama and Auburn so far,” Walter said. “I have taken unofficial visits to Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and TCU.”

Walter talks visits

Alabama: “I learned in the practice I watched how much they value shooting the ball, and how they practice getting their shots. You can see that by watching them play, but they really focus a lot on it in practice. I like shooting the ball a lot, so I can definitely see myself in that system.

“Seeing Coach (Nate) Oats here on the sidelines means a lot. It shows that he is really going on all in on recruiting me.”

Auburn: “I learned a lot about their culture overall when I was down there. I talk with their coaches all the time. But going to the game there, the culture of the entire campus is great. They really focused on basketball there, the gym was packed, the crowd was loud – I like a big crowd. They tell me they can build a team around me, kind of like what they did this year with Jabari Smith; put me in their system and go to work.”

Upcoming plans

“I have three visits left for my junior year; I am thinking about talking with Texas, Baylor, and Kansas about those officials,” Walter said.

Texas: “I talk with Coach (Chris) Beard a lot. In speaking with him, he always tells me he thinks I am the number one player in Texas right now and that I am their number one priority. They have been to my school the most to come to see me, and that just shows me they really want me.”

Baylor: “They were my first offer. I have a really good relationship with coach (Scott) Drew and coach (Alvin) Brooks and all of them. I have been there plenty of times, and I like their culture. Their guard play and how they have been producing guards have really stood out. I want to go somewhere that will get me league-ready, and I think they could do that.”

Kansas: “It’s Kansas. Everyone knows about Kansas. You see what they just did, winning the national championship. They are doing something right over there, working hard and developing their guys.”

Walter’s take

“Gonzaga is really the only school that hasn’t offered that I hear from pretty consistently,” Walter said. “I am looking to drop a top group in mid-summer and then looking to commit at the end of the summer. I’ll be looking for a program that will get me league-ready. I want to go to a place that feels like a home away from home. I will be away from my family, so my relationship with the coaches and players will mean a lot.

“My dad, Eddie Walter, played basketball at Birmingham Southern. They won a national championship there.”

On3’s take

Ja’Kobe Walter has a great frame with good length. His calling card is his jump shot, and rightfully so, it is pure with a high and consistent release and outstanding balance. Walter plays well off two dribbles and is a confident pull-up jump shooter in the mid-range. Walter plays at his own pace, never rushed. Playing with consistency and urgency will be things with him moving forward. Walter is instinctive in the passing lanes.