Ranking the 10 best lockdown defensive prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft
By Rowan Kent
Best Defensive Player #2: Jarace Walker, Houston
Remember when I mentioned that interior defense is inherently more valuable than perimeter defense, which affects these rankings? Welcome to the exception to that rule. Jarace Walker is that good of a defensive prospect that his ability to defend both inside and out ranks him just below a generational center.
The appeal for Walker as a defender comes from all areas of his game. He can stick with quick guards on the perimeter, is able to body forwards due to his beef, and can block shots and disrupt passes off of the ball. What makes him such an impactful defender is he can often do all of the above over the course of a few minutes in a game:
Jarace Walker ranked in the 83rd percentile on isolation defense, allowing offensive players to shoot only 4-20 (20%) against him in isolation
— Mavs/Magic Draft (@MavsDraft) June 8, 2023
He wins so many defensive possessions with discipline, length, strength, versatility, and outstanding intelligence & reaction time pic.twitter.com/ZqeV9yTmMm
While he can’t single-handedly turn around a team like a transcendent center, Walker figures to be a major boon for any team that drafts him. He could pick up star players from day one, can mop up the deficiencies of defensive weak links, and still has room to grow as a defender once he gets into an NBA system.