Ja’Kobe Walter has been billed as a shooter and has long arms and good defensive instincts.
The Toronto Raptors opted on upside with the 19th pick of Wednesday’s NBA draft. Ja’Kobe Walter, a guard billed as a strong athlete who can shoot and defend was the pick. Walter, 6-foot-4 with a Raptors-esque 6-foot-10 wingspan, isn’t the playmaker the team could use behind Immanuel Quickley, but he a potential replacement for free agent shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. and an option to guard bigger wings as well.
Walter will turn 20 in September and averaged 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals in his lone season with Baylor. Despite his nice-looking shot, Walter hit only 37.6% of his attempts, including 34.1% from three-point range, though he was at 79.2% from the free throw line, shot well in high school, and has good mechanics. He also attacked the paint when he wasn’t launching three-pointers, getting to the line often. Baylor was eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament, but Walter was named BIg-12 rookie of the year and the thinking is with better teammates and more refinement he could be a nice rotation piece for years to come.
The Raptors seemed thrilled to land him. General manager Bobby Webster said just before Midnight Thursday they weren’t sure if Walter would still be on the board, but the easy consensus in the war room was that he was the best player available when the time came to make a call. “Maybe he thought he was going earlier,” Webster said, describing Walter as “a winner, tough, a kid we followed since high school.”
Your Midday Sun
One of Walter’s strengths is his ability to move off the ball and get himself open, a staple of Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic’s offensive system and something last year’s No. 13 pick, Gradey Dick, is also strong at. The team is putting shooters around franchise player Scottie Barnes and though he’s not “the best shooter in the draft” the way Dick was seen to be a year ago, he has the potential to be a threat from outside as well. The native of McKinney, Texas, a Dallas suburb, also drew high marks for his competitiveness, hustle and off-court intangibles.
“I think he’s got pretty good length. I think there’s just sort of an inner toughness when you watch him. And he rebounds the ball well. So (he’s) not afraid to kind of stick his nose in there,” Webster said of Walter’s defensive approach.
Walter said on a Zoom session with the Toronto media he wants to show off more of his shot creation abilities in the NBA, but added: “I consider myself a competitor, a scorer and a two-way player, somebody that will sacrifice their body on the defensive end and do whatever it takes to win.” Walter also said while he didn’t work out for the Raptors and has never been to Canada, he is familiar with Scottie Barnes (“big personality”), RJ Barrett and Quickley and is looking forward to fitting in.
“I’m just trying to make an immediate impact in any way I can. Whatever they need me to do.”
Walter was given the name Ja’Kobe by his parents in an homage to all-time greats Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Asked if this night was pre-ordained then, Walter said: “I prayed so many times for this moment right here. It’s dreams into reality and I’m just grateful.”
The Atlanta Hawks started the night off by selecting French forward Zaccharie Rissacher first overall. The Hawks, led by former Raptors forward Landry Fields as its general manager, won the draft lottery in May despite having just 3% odds of doing so. But like when the Raptors won the lottery back in 2006, there was no clear choice to go first. Time will tell if Rissacher becomes an all-star, a bust or something in between like Andrea Bargnani was. Rissacher joined Bargnani, Yao Ming and countryman Victor Wembanyama as the only international players who did not play in the NCAA to go first overall.
Washington went with another Frenchman, 7-foot-1 centre Alex Sarr with the second pick, who it expects will be a key part of a long-term rebuild that will also feature fellow French lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly, who went seventh overall last year (France had only had one player ever picked in the top seven prior to last year’s draft and now has five in the last two drafts, including consecutive top picks). The Wizards had earlier dealt away talented swingman Deni Avdija for four draft picks and oft-injured guard Malcolm Brogdan, who they will try to re-route. Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, billed as the best shooter in the draft, went third to Houston, solid guard Stephon Castle, from the NCAA champion UConn Huskies, went fourth to San Antonio, while Ron Holland, of the G League Ignite, rounded out the top five, heading to Detroit. France’s Tidjane Salaun went sixth to Charlotte, with UConn centre Donovan Clingan surprisingly falling to Portland at seven. Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham went eight to San Antonio, but was dealt to Minnesota. Toronto’s Zach Edey was selected ninth by the Memphis Grizzlies, where he be teammates with fellow Canadian Brandon Clarke.
The Raptors received the 19th pick of this draft from the Indiana Pacers as part of the Pascal Siakam trade. The team will also receive Indiana’s 2026 first-round selection if it’s not in the Top 4. Toronto lost the No. 8 overall selection to San Antonio thanks to the Feb. 2023 deal that brought Jakob Poeltl back to the Raptors. The team received the first pick of Thursday’s second round of this draft, No. 31 overall, via the blockbuster deal with the New York Knicks last season that sent OG Anunoby out and brought back Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett.
Toronto expects to receive many offers overnight before Round 2 kicks off at 4 ET.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
___
AP cricket:
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.
The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.
Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.
There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.
Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.
But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.
The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”
The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.
Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.
Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.
Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.
Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.
“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”
“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.
Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.
Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.
The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.
Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.
Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.
Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.
Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.
Canada Roster
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).
Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).
Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).
Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).
—
Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
Freeland says she’s ready to deal with Trump |
NASA astronauts won’t say which one of them got sick after almost eight months in space
43 monkeys remain on the run from South Carolina lab. CEO thinks they’re having an adventure
Freeland rallies a united front ahead of Trump’s return to White House
Deputy minister appointed interim CEO of AIMCo after Alberta government fires board
Montreal says Quebec-Canada dispute stalling much-needed funding to help homeless
S&P/TSX composite index down Friday, Wall St. extends post-election gains
Mitch Marner powers Matthews-less Maple Leafs over Red Wings
