Portland Trail Blazers Take Jabari Walker in Second Round of 2022 NBA Draft

The Portland Trail Blazers have selected Jabari Walker of Colorado with the 57th pick of the 2022 NBA Draft. The Blazers also owned the 46th pick, as a result of a trade with the Detroit Pistons earlier this week, but they traded that to the Denver Nuggets for a second-round pick in 2024. The Blazers took Shaedon Sharpe with the 7th overall pick earlier in the evening.

Walker is a 6’9. 215 lb forward who completed two years of college ball with the Buffaloes. He shot 46.1% from the floor, 34.6% from the three-point arc last season, appearing in 33 games, playing 28.1 minutes per. He averaged 9.4 rebounds during that span.

In this video, Travis Branham of CBS Sports cites Walker’s offensive talents, claiming a good face-up and spot-up shooting game with the ability to get to the rim when needed. He also says Walker is “unafraid” of doing the dirty work in the post. He claims Walker’s best role is as a floor-stretcher and rebounder.

Walker isn’t guaranteed to make the team, but with an expensive set of starters in tow, the Blazers will need to fill the lower ends of the roster with inexpensive players. He might be one.

Per Casey Holdahl of the Blazers, Jabari is the son of Samaki Walker, who played 10 season in the NBA, suiting up for six different teams.

The younger Walker will no doubt appear, along with Sharpe, at the NBA Summer League next month in Las Vegas. It will be the first chance to see the new players in action.

Here’s a look at Portland’s Summer League schedule (all times PT):

7/7 vs. Detroit Pistons, 6pm (ESPN)

7/9 vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 4pm (ESPN2)

7/11 vs. New York Knicks, 5pm (ESPN2)

7/14 vs. Houston Rockets, 3:30pm (NBA TV)

Update:

Future Assistant General Manager Mike Schmitz tweeted this about Walker: