Baylor wing Ja’Kobe Walter was the top Big 12 player selected in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday, going No. 19 overall to Toronto.
The Bears also made program history as they had multiple first-round picks for the first time, as center Yves Missi was picked No. 21 overall by New Orleans.
Meanwhile, one of the league’s incoming teams had a lottery selection and a second first-round pick, as Colorado’s Cody Williams was picked No. 10 overall by the Utah Jazz and Tristan Da Silva went No. 18 to the Orlando Magic.
Walter, who played just one season at Baylor and was the No. 1 shooting guard recruit in the Class of 2023 as ranked by ESPN, was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. He led Baylor in scoring with 14.5 points per game and was one of nine freshmen in Division I to do so. He also had 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.
Baylor had a player selected in the Top 20 for the fourth straight year, as Walter joined Keyonte George (No. 16 in 2023 to Utah), Jeremy Sochan (No. 9 in 2022 to San Antonio) and Davion Mitchell (No. 9 in 2021 to Sacramento).
Missi, who just turned 20, was also a freshman. The center was an All-Big 12 Freshman and Defensive Team selection after he averaged 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He had multiple five-block games.
Williams, a forward, became the first Colorado freshman to be selected in program history. An All-Pac-12 selection last season, he is the younger brother of Jalen Williams, selected by Oklahoma City with the No. 12 pick in 2022 out of Santa Clara.
He averaged 11.9 points for the Buffaloes, who will join the Big 12 in August along with Arizona, Arizona State and Utah.
Da Silva, a four-year forward for Colorado, averaged 16 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists last season while shooting nearly 40% from the 3-point line.
Former Texas and Texas Tech wing Jaylon Tyson was selected No. 20 overall by Cleveland. He was at Cal last season and averaged 19.6 points per game.
Another former Texas Tech player, Terrence Shannon Jr., went No. 27 overall to Minnesota. He’s played for Illinois the past two seasons. He averaged 23 points per game a season ago.
The second round of the NBA Draft is set for Thursday.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
