NEW YORK — Editor's note: The above video is from June 6.
Trades are nothing new to the NBA Draft, and York County's Jarace Walker was a part of the first one in Thursday night's 2023 Draft.
With the eighth pick in the first round, the Washington Wizards selected Walker, before trading the University of Houston standout to the Indiana Pacers for the draft rights to Bilal Coulibaly and a pair of second-round draft picks.
“I was super excited,” Walker said after the trade was finalized. “Just to know where I’m going, just to take that deep breath. The butterflies let loose. I was definitely happy.”
Walker grew up in New Freedom, Pennsylvania. Following his freshman season, rather than finish at Susquehannock, Walker's family moved to Bradenton, Florida, where he played for hoops powerhouse IMG Academy. Showcasing his talent early, Walker made the varsity team in his first season in the Sunshine State.
Standing at almost 6'8", with a 7'2" wing span, Walker went on to play for the University of Houston for his only season in college. He was named the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year after he averaged 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game.
"There's a chance here that he could evolve into a special kind of four-man in this league. A guy that could rebound it and take it coast-to-coast, make plays, and finish at the rim," said Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle of Walkers' potential.
After declaring for the NBA Draft, Walker began to visit potential landing spots and his first trip was to Indianapolis.
“It was my first visit, but I feel like it was one of my better ones for sure,” said Walker about his first experience with Indiana in the draft process. “Just being able to show them my versatility, what I could bring to them immediately, just having an immediate impact, ready to go from the jump. I definitely felt like it could be a good fit."