Jabari Walker Explained

Jabari Walker
Number:34
Position:Power forward
Height Ft:6
Height In:7
Weight Lbs:227
Team:Portland Trail Blazers
League:NBA
Birth Date:30 July 2002
Birth Place:Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
High School:
College:Colorado (2020–2022)
Draft Year:2022
Draft Round:2
Draft Pick:57
Draft Team:Portland Trail Blazers
Career Start:2022
Years1:–present
Team1:Portland Trail Blazers
Highlights:

Jabari Dominic Walker (born July 30, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the son of Samaki Walker. He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes. He was named first-team All-Pac-12 as a sophomore with Colorado.

High school career

Walker played basketball for Campbell Hall School in Los Angeles, California, for three years.[1] For his senior season, he transferred to AZ Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona.[2] As a senior, he averaged 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. Walker competed for Dream Vision on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit.[3] He committed to playing college basketball for Colorado over offers from California and Saint Mary's.[4]

College career

On January 14, 2021, Walker recorded 23 points and 11 rebounds in an 89–60 win over California.[5] In February, he missed six games with a foot injury.[6] On March 20, 2021, Walker scored a freshman season-high 24 points, shooting 5-of-5 from three-point range, in a 96–73 victory over Georgetown at the first round of the NCAA tournament.[7] As a freshman, he averaged 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, earning Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honors.[6] On January 25, 2022, Walker tied a career high with 24 points in an 82–78 win over Oregon.[8] As a sophomore, he averaged 14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game and was named first-team All-Pac-12.[9] On March 30, 2022, Walker declared for the 2022 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.[10] He later signed with an agent, forgoing his remaining eligibility.[11]

Professional career

Walker was selected with the 57th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He joined the Blazers' 2022 NBA Summer League team. In his Summer League debut, Walker recorded eleven points and seven rebounds in an 81–78 loss to the Detroit Pistons.[12] On July 13, 2022, Walker signed his rookie scale contract with the Trail Blazers.[13]

Career statistics

NBA

|-| style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Portland| 56 || 0 || 11.1 || .419 || .286 || .756 || 2.3 || .6 || .2 || .2 || 3.9|-| style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Portland| 72 || 23 || 23.6 || .460 || .295 || .754 || 7.1 || 1.0 || .6 || .3 || 8.9|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 128 || 23 || 18.1 || .448 || .292 || .755 || 5.0 || .8 || .4 || .3 || 6.7

College

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21| style="text-align:left;"| Colorado| 26 || 0 || 14.2 || .526 || .523 || .778 || 4.3 || .5 || .5 || .5 || 7.6|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22| style="text-align:left;"| Colorado| 33 || 33 || 28.1 || .461 || .346 || .784 || 9.4 || 1.2 || .7 || .7 || 14.6|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career|| 59 || 33 || 22.0 || .479 || .399 || .783 || 7.2 || .9 || .6 || .6 || 11.5

Personal life

Walker's father, Samaki, played in the NBA for 10 years.[14] He has two siblings who play basketball: his brother, Dibaji, plays in the NBA G League for Cleveland Charge, and his sister, Sakima, at South Carolina.[15]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rosenberg . Gregg . Rosenberg Q&A: Past and Present with Jabari Walker . . May 26, 2021 . May 3, 2020.
  2. Web site: Chalifoux . Adam . Tale of the Tape: Jabari Walker . . May 26, 2021 . April 7, 2020.
  3. Web site: Guerrerio . Justin . March 24, 2020 . Dream Vision AAU coach Clayton Williams breaks down CU target Jabari Walker . May 26, 2021 . Rivals.
  4. Web site: Rooney . Pat . CU Buffs basketball adds 2020 forward Jabari Walker . . May 26, 2021 . April 8, 2020.
  5. Web site: Rooney . Pat . CU men’s basketball notes: Freshman Jabari Walker growing up in a hurry for Buffs . BuffZone . May 26, 2021 . January 24, 2021.
  6. Web site: Rooney . Pat . Jabari Walker embracing prep for bigger role with CU Buffs men’s basketball . BuffZone . May 26, 2021 . April 23, 2021.
  7. Web site: Shapiro . Jake . Jabari Walker goes ballistic as Buffaloes beat Hoyas, advance in NCAA Tournament . . May 26, 2021 . March 20, 2021.
  8. News: Colorado completes comeback in 82-78 win over Oregon . . . May 3, 2022 . January 25, 2022.
  9. 2021-22 Pac-12 Men's Basketball All-Conference honors and Annual Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva. . March 8, 2022 . March 8, 2022.
  10. Web site: Ritenour . Zach . Jabari Walker announces he will declare for the 2022 NBA Draft . . April 16, 2022 . March 30, 2022.
  11. Web site: Rooney . Pat . Done deal: Jabari Walker reportedly ‘all in’ for NBA draft . BuffZone . May 3, 2022 . May 2, 2022.
  12. Web site: Portland Trail Blazers vs Detroit Pistons Jul 8, 2022 Box Scores NBA.com . July 14, 2022 . NBA.com.
  13. Web site: July 13, 2022 . Trail Blazers Sign Jabari Walker . October 29, 2023 . NBA.com . en.
  14. Web site: Rooney . Pat . Sudden growth spurt paves Jabari Walker’s path to CU basketball . BuffZone . May 26, 2021 . April 17, 2020.
  15. Web site: Jabari Walker – Men's Basketball . University of Colorado Athletics . May 26, 2021.