Young freshman Ja’Kobe Walter, a freshman phenom has been making waves across college basketball. With his recent accolade, Baylor Bear’s Walter was named Freshman of the Year, headlining BU’s All-Big 12 honorees, and guess who’s the first one to congratulate him? None other than 2018’s Freshman of the Year himself, Atlanta Hawks’ superstar Trae Young. Not only that, Young even tossed some sage advice Ja’Kobe’s way, “Jobs not finished yet, keep goin!”

Ja’Kobe didn’t just show up and steal the show. Capping off a remarkable high school career, he dominated his senior year at Link Academy. The Lions went undefeated (19-0) under his leadership. Even before that, he led McKinney High School in Texas to a state championship title.

Young Ja’Kobe Teaming Up With Trae Young?

Throughout several summers, Ja’Kobe honed his skills as a standout player in the prestigious Team Trae Young program. This national recognition pushed him through the recruiting rankings, garnering interest from colleges across the US. Ultimately, Ja’Kobe chose to continue his basketball journey with the Baylor Bears.

Speaking of Team Trae Young, they proudly announced Ja’Kobe’s selection to the elite McDonald’s All-American Game in January 2023, adding another trophy to his growing collection.

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In a scorching start to his college balling career, Hawks’ superstar Trae Young inked his name in the record books. ESPN Stats disclose that he’s the first freshman since Chris Paul in 2004 to bag at least 25 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament. Young also holds the unique distinction of leading in both scoring (27.4) and assists (8.8) – a feat unseen since assists became an official statistic in 1983.

Cut to young Walter. With Team Trae Young, Walter’s on-ball responsibilities increased. Spot-up plays remained a key point (19.7% – 70th percentile scoring), but isolation (17.5%) and pick-and-roll (16.3%) became more prominent. His scoring efficiency thrived in this newfound role, ranking in the 82nd and 88th percentile, respectively.

The takeaway? Young Ja’Kobe excelled regardless of his offensive assignment. His ability to seamlessly transition between on-ball and off-ball roles while maintaining efficiency is a rare talent for a freshman. Adding further value, his defensive contributions remained consistent irrespective of his offensive workload.

Ja’Kobe’s talent goes beyond numbers. He joins an elite group as the 12th player in Big 12 history to win both preseason and postseason Freshman of the Year honors, following in the footsteps of Young. He also raked in All-Freshman Team and All-Big 12 Third Team selections. Plus, he led all Big 12 freshmen in scoring with a jaw-dropping 14.7 points per game average, even crossing the 20-point mark 8 times this season, including a career-high 28 points in his debut against Auburn!

With the 2024 NBA Draft approaching, Ja’Kobe is a potential lottery pick. Trae Young’s Atlanta Hawks seem like a perfect fit. Are we ready to see him take his talents to the coveted League? Comment your thoughts below!

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