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McKinney’s Ja’Kobe Walter
What he did: Walter averaged 23.0 points and 5.0 rebounds as McKinney went 2-0 this past week. He scored 25 points with seven 3-pointers in a 68-39 win over a 19-9 Denton Braswell squad. Walter scored 21 points in a 72-47 win over Prosper on Tuesday.
Who he is: A 6-foot-6 junior combo guard, Walter is one of the top college prospects in the nation for the Class of 2023. Among many colleges showing interest in him are Alabama, Baylor, Auburn, Oklahoma and Texas.
The stats: Walter is averaging 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.1 assists per game. Walter has helped McKinney — ranked No. 6 in The Dallas Morning News’ Class 6A area poll and No. 11 in TABC 6A state rankings — to a 25-4 overall record, 6-2 in District 5-6A.
He said it: “This week was the first time we have all played together since Thanksgiving because of injuries. The chemistry we all had helped my shooting. Against Braswell it felt like every shot was goig in. Jackson Steele came back this week. He’s our sixth man and he helps everybody get a little rest and more energy. … I want my two-way game to keep getting better, I might have a bad shooting day, but I can always do good on defense.”
Coach said it: “He is consistently getting better across the board. He is an underrated passer. He is even more athletic now, and I think now more than ever he is great at finishing plays when there’s contact.” — Wes Watson.
Did you know? Walter started playing basketball when he was 4 years old. He was inspired by his father Eddie, who played college basketball at Birmingham Southern, setting a school record for steals in a season with 107 in 1996 … Walter’s favorite course in school is pre-calculus. He plans on majoring in business in college and hopes to be an entrepreneur when his playing days conclude... His favorite meal is sushi — especially California sundae rolls — with edamame and a Shirley Temple… His favorite athlete is Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant because of his all-around abilities as a seven-footer.
Honorable mention
| Player | School | Class | Pos. | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks Bahr | Keller | So. | F | Avg. 18.0 points as Keller went 2-0. |
| Finley Bizjack | TC Byron Nelson | Jr. | G | Avg. 25.0 points as Byron Nelson went 2-0. |
| Sterling Butler | Mansfield | Jr. | G | Avg. 19.5 points as Mansfield went 2-0. |
| Rylan Griffen | Richardson | Sr. | G/F | Avg. 25.0 points as Richardson went 2-0. |
| Tre Johnson | Lake Highlands | So. | G | Avg. 26.0 points as Lake Highlands went 2-0. |
| R.J. Jones | John Paul II | Jr. | G | Avg. 18.5 points as John Paul II went 2-0. |
| Donovan O’Day | Mansfield Timberview | Sr. | G | Avg. 19.0 points as Timberview went 2-0. |
| Noah Shelby | Greenhill | Sr. | G | Avg. 23.0 points as Greenhill went 3-0. |
| Xavier Williams | Plano | Sr. | G | Avg. 16.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals as Plano went 2-0. |
| Latrell Wright | Madison | Sr. | G. | Avg. 23.0 points as Madison went 2-0. |
Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.