The Indiana Pacers' start to the 2025-26 NBA season has been brutal for numerous reasons. But in spite of all their hardships, one major silver lining has prevailed: the emergence of Jarace Walker.
It hasn't all been good for Walker to begin his NBA career. He only played in 33 games during his rookie season and had incredibly inconsistent minutes last season. This was especially noticeable when he averaged just 8.4 minutes over eight total games throughout the entire month of February before averaging 14.5 minutes over 14 games in March.
However, he is finally getting a consistent opportunity this season. And while it hasn't been pretty the whole time, he is showing Pacers fans exactly what he brings to the table and reminding the world why he was a top-10 draft pick just two years ago.
Jarace Walker can help the Pacers in a major way
There is a lot to like about Walker, and there's a reason many Pacers fans have clamored for him to get more playing time with the team.
This season, the Houston alum is averaging 11.2 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists in 29.5 minutes through six games. He still has some work to do, particularly regarding his efficiency as he is shooting just 31.5% from the field. However, it's clear that he has a lot of talent, and with a more stable role, he should be able to iron out his inconsistencies.
Walker has a lot of untapped potential, and it is a no-brainer for Indiana to want to dig into that.
On paper, the Pennsylvania native is the perfect player for the Pacers. It hasn't completely worked out in his favor yet, but he is a do-it-all forward who can diversify Indiana's system on both sides of the ball due to his skillset and physicality.
Walker's biggest problem is his inconsistency, because beyond that, there isn't a lot he can't do.
The 22-year-old is incredibly versatile and can play every position while providing value on both sides of the ball. Additionally, he has shown flashes of being a legitimate three-point threat, shooting a career 39.1% from deep. Walker is also capable of creating his own shot, bringing the ball up the court and facilitating, and scoring at each level, all while being a brute defensively.
Perhaps most importantly, though, he (mostly) looks much more comfortable on the floor. He is looking much more disciplined on defense and is doing a better job of using his physicality to his advantage on both sides of the ball.
Indiana's start to the season has not gone the way it hoped. In addition to Tyrese Haliburton, who will miss the entire season due to an Achilles injury, the Pacers are dealing with injuries to a plethora of key players, such as Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, and T.J. McConnell.
Plus, they are 1-5 to begin the season and have a -8.2 net rating, which is the fourth-worst in the NBA so far.
However, despite the brutal start to their season, not all is bad in Indiana, and as long as Walker continues to showcase his talents, this will be the case for the entire season.