This has been a roller coaster of a season for Jarace Walker. After two seasons of mostly riding the bench, Walker is finally getting his opportunity to get more consistent playing time.
The Houston alum has had a very rocky season with a ton of highs (such as a 21-point performance against the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons on Nov. 24) and a ton of lows (like shooting 0-for-10 against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 13). However, it seems like he is finally turning things around as the team gets healthier and he gets more comfortable in his role.
In Monday's victory over the Sacramento Kings, Walker recorded 12 points on 3-for-5 shooting, three rebounds, and one assist in 18 minutes. After the game, head coach Rick Carlisle sang his praises for the Pennsylvania native and made it clear how much he and the Pacers value him (h/t Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star).
"I thought he was terrific tonight," Carlisle said. "I don't think his stats were super gaudy. Twelve points, we needed every single one of those points. He had a huge steal in transition. I don't know how he pulls some of that stuff off. He just has amazing hands. Nights like Chicago is feedback for young players. His response in practice yesterday was terrific. I just liked his demeanor, his affect and his tone during the game. We need him."
Jarace Walker's solid showing may not be a fluke
This wasn't a ground-breaking performance. But given how shaky his season has been so far, Pacers fans should be happy to see Walker play well and contribute to winning basketball.
And it seems like this could be a real trend.
In his last eight games, Walker is averaging 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 47.3% from the field and 38.2% from deep. He might never live up to his pre-draft hype before going eighth overall in 2023, but the 22-year-old is continuing to show that he can be a real asset in Indiana.
On paper, there's a lot to like about Walker. He has good size at 6-foot-7, 235 pounds, and he has the physical tools that nobody else on the team has. Additionally, he is turning into a solid shooter (he is shooting a career 37.5% from beyond the arc), he can play and guard all five positions, he can handle the ball, and he has what it takes to be a do-it-all player who can contribute in every area.
It's easy to forget that Walker is still the second-youngest player on the Pacers (only ahead of Johnny Furphy), and this is the first consistent role he's had in his career. Though it's completely valid to be disappointed in his player, fans must keep being patient with Walker.
He has had his bad moments. There's no doubt about that. But he's also had a lot of good moments, and it's looking like the good is starting to outweigh the bad. Walker still has time to develop and prove that he can be a long-term contributor in Indiana. After all, Carlisle isn't giving up on him yet. So why should the fans?