NBA Comparison: Reggie Bullock

Strengths: Walter is a sleek 6’5 195 swingman who has solid length and adequate athleticism on the wing, as well as the frame to put on more muscle … At 6’5 with a 6’10 wingspan, he has a solid frame as a NBA 2-guard … Jump shot is his bread and butter offensively; shows good confidence, range and is not bashful about letting it fly (6.3 3FGA/G) … Can make shots in bunches; had 8 games with 4+ made 3-pointers as a Fr (14.5 PPG) … Has the raw ability to stick shots from distance (75 made 3s as a Fr.) and will get them up in different ways; is a threat spotting up, off screens and by simply moving to open spaces along the perimeter as a dribble drive valve…Maintains a high, quick release and consistent mechanics … Moves pretty well without the ball…Floor awareness shines in transition and when the offense is in improvisation mode; shows a knack for knowing when to cut to the rim or run to the 3-point line based on what the defense gives him…Straight-line slasher who uses the threat of his shot to open up driving lanes and will attack aggressive closeouts to get to the paint…Good touch when he gets to the rim and has a developing floater, which would be of good use for him to continue to build on in the future…Drew fouls and got to the FT line at a very nice rate for someone who was more of an off-ball player in his teams offense, and was generally solid once there (79 FT% on 5.2 FTA/G) … Wiry strong and can make shots through contact at times…Plays with good intensity and is a willing defensive player; has all the tools of a prototype 3-and-D perimeter player … Has enough length and functional athleticism to  match up fine on the perimeter, particularly on the wing … Can be a factor in the passing lanes and chip in as a help defender (1.1 SPG)…Willing rebounder on the wing (4.4 RPG) … A competitive, energetic player who gives it his all on the court …

Weaknesses: Athleticism does not stand out, especially from an explosiveness standpoint … Burst, leaping skills and quickness are all middling for a wing at the NBA level … Below average ball-handling skills for a SG prospect; loses effectiveness the more he dribbles and doesn’t look totally comfortable creating his own offense in isolation situations … Got the ball stripped and poked away from him more than you’d like to see, particularly when going left … Looked somewhat rigid operating in the pick and roll game … Not much of an above the rim finisher and struggled to get to the basket consistently much less convert shots amongst the trees as a Fr (42 FG% inside the arc) … Teams adjusted to his game as the season went on and he saw his efficiency plummet during conference play (37 FG%) … Began to rush and settle for shots off the dribble more as the season went on …. Doesn’t pass the ball very much; shows a bit of tunnel vision when slashing … Is a willing defensive player but his fundamentals and awareness on that end could use work … Had possessions when he struggled to contain dribble drives because he didn’t move his feet or was too upright in his stance when closing out on the perimeter…Sometimes will get caught ball watching and lose track of his matchup off the ball, though those types of mistakes tend to happen when talking about 1st year players…A bit green and in need of more live game action to continue to round out his game

Overall: Walter was a consensus 5 star prospect and McDonalds AA who started out as a highly regarded player from the Dallas area before playing for Link Academy during his Sr season, where his team won the GEICO National Championship…Also participated in the Nike Hoop Summit for Team USA…Came into Baylor with plenty of hype and did not disappoint, making an immediate impact from his 1st career game when he scored 28 points on in a victory against Auburn, which is a Baylor freshman record…He went on to lead the team in scoring and earned All-Big 12 honors on a Bears squad that made it to the Round of 32 in 2023-2024…Walter showed intriguing shot-making ability and lit up the scoreboard while also having solid projections on the defensive end as an energetic player who played with good competitive spirit throughout the season…He is somewhat raw with his floor game, has just a decent physical profile and needs to tighten up his ability to create for himself, while also rounding out some on defense, but he has the makings of a solid 3-and-D who could possibly turn into more if he’s able to polish some of his more correctable flaws fundamentally…There should be a landing spot for Walter in the 1st half of the 2024 draft with his clear projections as a 2-way player …

Jorrye Nixon 4/4/24