5 2023 NBA Draft prospects to know for the Orlando Magic’s No. 6 pick

5 NBA Draft prospects to know for the Orlando Magic’s 6th pick

Jarace Walker, Houston

Every team needs a glue guy. Every team needs someone willing to do the dirty work. Everyone need someone who is solid in intangible ways.

That player in this draft is Jarace Walker.

The Houston forward plays bigger than his height — 6-foot-6.5 with a 7-foot-2.5 wingspan — and defends at a high level. He knows how to use his length and strength well to make up for his lack of height.

So much of what he does is not going to show up in counting stats. Jarace Walker won the AAC Rookie of the Year over Taylor Hendricks although he averaged only 11.2 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game. He had an 18.2 percent defensive rebound rate, which was far better than Hendricks’ too.

Walker was just solid in a lot of areas that help teams wins. If people want to compare him to Draymond Green, the comparison is apt.

The issue with Walker remains his shooting and offensive ability. He shot only 46.5 percent from the floor and 34.7 percent from deep on 2.8 attempts per game. His 66.3 percent free throw percentage is also concerning to his offensive capabilities.

Walker will help a team win. But will he help a team like the Magic win? Almost certainly. But maybe not as much as other players the Magic could select.