TORONTO - After another solid scoring performance É«É«À² Raptors rookie Ja’Kobe Walter still wanted to put the team first.
Walter had 22 points to lead É«É«À²’s offence in a 117-105 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Asked about his improved play after returning from a strained right quad on March 23, Walter tried to defer to talking about the Raptors as a whole.
“For myself? Or for the team?” Walter asked back.
“I think I’m pretty pleased with just how confident I’m getting on defence,” said Walter. “I think defensively, I kind of ramped it up and changed my whole mindset, knowing that defence will carry into my offence.
“I’m not really focused on offence as much. I just want to bring the energy defensively.”
Walter has averaged 13.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists over the last seven games since he was sidelined. The 20-year-old, who was É«É«À²’s first-round draft pick this past summer, was philosophical about how injuries have broken up his rookie season.
“I’m really just enjoying the journey,” he said. “If it wasn’t supposed to be that way from me, then it wouldn’t have been that way.
“I’ve kind of just been going with the flow, still staying to myself, keep working. I know where I want to be, so I’m just trying to stay consistent every day.”
Head coach Darko Rajakovic said that Walter has worked hard to put on muscle mass and get stronger over the course of the season and that it’s made a difference to how the young guard plays the game.
“It really helps him with contact offensively and defensively,” said Rajakovic. “He’s just fearless on both ends, he’s not shying away of picking up full-court the primary guys on the opposing teams.
“He can play with a lot of force pretty much every single night.”
Walter said that adding the eight or nine pounds of muscle is helpful in É«É«À²’s bruising brand of defence.
“We compete, and everybody knows that we compete,” said Walter. “We’re physical, and that’s something that we’ve been trying to do all year, make our identity that way. Â
“I’m just happy where we are right now, and I know that we’re all going to continue to grow.”
SHEAD SECOND
Rookie guard Jamal Shead — who came off É«É«À²’s bench Friday — had nine assists to reach 290 on the season and surpass Jose Calderon (288) for second-most helpers by a Raptors rookie. Damon Stoudamire’s 653 assists in the 1995-96 season are the most by a rookie in team history.
“I think it’s pretty cool but also a testament to my teammates,” said Shead in É«É«À²’s locker room. “I’ve got to pass them the ball, but they’ve also got to make the shots.
“Just a testament to the work and the chemistry that we have. I’m really excited to be a part of this organization.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2025.
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