{"id":684718,"date":"2026-03-28T20:29:21","date_gmt":"2026-03-28T20:29:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/684718\/"},"modified":"2026-03-28T20:29:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T20:29:21","slug":"basket-looks-pretty-wide-right-now-raptors-jakobe-walter-levels-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/684718\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Basket looks pretty wide right now’ Raptors’ Ja’Kobe Walter levels up"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sports<\/a>Basketball<\/a>NBA<\/a>Toronto Raptors<\/a><\/p>\n

But making a defensive impact is still Walter’s primary focus.<\/p>\n

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Published Mar 28, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 43\u00a0minutes ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n

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\"032826-2265018149\"Ja’Kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors dunks against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on March 8, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Photo by Cole Burston \/Getty ImagesArticle content<\/p>\n

There have been obvious positive developments this Raptors season as the franchise secured its first .500 season since 2022-23: Scottie Barnes has had his best year yet and will receive all-defensive and All-NBA votes; Brandon Ingram has stayed healthy and boosted an offence that badly needs everything he can provide; Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles looks way ahead of his years, particularly on defence; Sandro Mamukelashvili has been one of the best free agent additions in franchise history (a low bar, but still notable) and the team has been strong on the road.<\/p>\n

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Less obvious, but a major storyline nonetheless, has been the emergence of sophomore wing Ja\u2019Kobe Walter. Much of Toronto\u2019s roster is comprised of steady veterans who realistically are what they are and aren\u2019t likely to get significantly better from here (think Ingram and Jakob Poeltl, possibly RJ Barrett, though he\u2019s made strides this year). Barnes is still young and Immanuel Quickley likely has more to give, but the Raptors badly needed a young player to make a jump in 2025-26. Walter has been that player.<\/p>\n

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Even if Walter\u2019s counting stats don\u2019t jump off the page, he\u2019s been one of the best Raptors over the last two months, shooting 43% on three-pointers in February and a torrid 47.3% in 13 March games, including 4-of-10 in a standout effort against New Orleans on Friday night. Head coach Darko Rajakovic elected to start Walter instead of point guard Jamal Shead for a variety of reasons, but his shooting abilities were a major factor in the decision.<\/p>\n

Afterward, Rajakovic, who can be superstitious, joked around when asked by the Toronto Sun about Walter\u2019s recent run of shooting like Ray Allen. \u201cStop. You just jinxed it. If he misses his next one, you owe me $100,\u201d laughed Rajakovic.<\/p>\n

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More seriously, the coach added: \u201cHe\u2019s putting a lot of work in. He\u2019s a very young player, his second year in the league and I think there\u2019s so much growth that\u2019s coming his way and he\u2019s putting a lot of work in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walter, only 21, always projected as a shooter. He has great form, hits his free throws at a high clip and his college coach, Baylor\u2019s Scott Drew, raved about his potential as an outside shooter in an interview with the Toronto Sun<\/a> after the 2024 draft, but Walter had not found consistency until recently. He finished his rookie year strong from beyond the arc, but after a good start in 2025-26, Walter was way off in December and January. That\u2019s all changed since February arrived.<\/p>\n

WHAT\u2019S CHANGED?<\/p>\n

Has anything changed for him, though?<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe work is finally showing. I put in a lot of shots all the time,\u201d Walter told the Sun after Friday\u2019s win over New Orleans. \u201cAnd when you see a couple go in for (multiple) games, you know, it\u2019s kind of hard to get out of that flow, especially when everybody\u2019s keeping confidence in you, telling you to shoot more, making sure you don\u2019t pass up shots,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe basket looks pretty wide right now,\u201d Walter said matter-of-factly.<\/p>\n

We can tell.<\/p>\n

But it isn\u2019t just shooting that had the Raptors so thrilled to land Walter with the 19th pick in 2024. He earned Rajakovic\u2019s trust first with his defensive versatility. Walter can guard wings, but is also one of the club\u2019s best options as a point of attack defender. Rajakovic credited his work on Pelicans point guard Jeremiah Fears, a talented rookie who might have had his worst game of the season Friday and Walter\u2019s also been assigned to All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson and standouts like Derrick White and Andrew Nembhard while also at times checking bigger wings like rookie of the year contender Kon Knueppel Canadian Ben Mathurin or stars like Anthony Edwards or Devin Booker.<\/p>\n

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That\u2019s probably why Walter immediately had an answer when asked if he prefers making an impact on one side of the floor over the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefence. Defence for sure. Before the (Pelicans) game, my coach, Ivo (Simovic), he got on to me. He felt like I was playing weak last game, not activating the ball so that kind of lit a fire under me, coming into this game knowing that I wanted to set the tone early,\u201d Walter said.<\/p>\n

Walter loves pressuring lead guards up top and is a key part of Toronto\u2019s aggressive, turnover-chasing defensive system.<\/p>\n

\"032826-Raptors-Suns-Basketball\" Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) drives past Toronto Raptors guard Ja\u2019kobe Walter during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 23, 2026, in Phoenix. Photo by Rick Scuteri \/APBARNES IS A FAN<\/p>\n

He\u2019s impressed Barnes with his all-around play.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all know he\u2019s been great defensively for us, being able to put pressure on the ball, turn guys (over), I think we see him going on runs, and we\u2019ll be able to get traps and run out in transition,\u201d Barnes said up at the podium post-game, \u201cbut his shooting is just something that we need on our team.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been on fire. Every shot he takes it looks like it\u2019s going in. It\u2019s just been super important for our team. Sometimes we get in these situations where we\u2019re not making shots, but we can count on him to be able to play defence and make shots.\u201d<\/p>\n

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