NBA
Portland’s Jabari Walker says Scoot Henderson is not selfish with the ball: ‘He’s a true point guard’
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All posts by Antonio KozlowUpdated04 Jul 2023
Just as the Trail Blazers are about to begin their Summer League run, the team’s roster is just starting to get to know some of the newcomers, including this past draft’s No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson.
Jabari Walker, who was one of the most impressive players in last year’s Las Vegas summer championship, only has words of praise for the top prospect after getting his first impressions of him in recent practices.
“He is not selfish at all. He’s a true point guard,” the 20-year-old said about his new teammate.
Jabari Walker got a good impression on his teammate Scoot Henderson in the Summer League, per @highkin
Walker said that Henderson is a true PG, not selfish, and loves to get off the ball.#NBA #Blazers #Trailblazers #RipCity pic.twitter.com/L51Q5ZsNJp
— NBAWire (@officialNBAwire) July 3, 2023
However, Jabari himself is quite the force to be reckoned with, as he’s expected to help guide Portland during this week’s Summer League, just as he’s done in the past. After playing two college seasons in Colorado, he was selected with the second-to-last pick of the 2022 NBA Draft.
He went on to prove everyone he was worthy of a contract in Oregon, as he averaged 12.4 points (63% shooting from the field), 9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block over 22 minutes of play per contest in Las Vegas. After winning the Summer League, he was awarded with a three-year deal.
“I was kind of jittery back then,” Walker said about last year’s offseason. “I was playing for a contract. It’s not the best feeling, you feel like you’re on your toes all the time, but now I’ve kind of seen it a little bit. I know I can play at this level, I know what it takes, so now I’m a little bit more relaxed, which translates on the court as far as me knowing what plays to make and being more confident, more patient.
“Same goal but just a different way of approaching it this year, and I feel like I’m going to be a lot better this year. I like where I’m at.”
According to the rising star, part of the reasons why he feels stronger than ever is due to all the extra work he puts into his summers.
“So far, this offseason has been amazing for me. With the little time that I have had, I feel like I’ve made the most out of it,” said Walker.
Jabari shares how hard he’s working to improve his chances of earning more play time in the upcoming campaign
The young foward, who will turn 21 on July 30, has been dedicating a lot of time and effort to reach his potential sooner than later. As he only averaged 11 minutes per game this past season, he’s expecting to earn more opportunities for the next NBA competition.
Check out some of his best highlights from last year’s Summer League in the desert:
“It’s deep, it’s bigger than what you see on the court. I’ve been investing a lot into myself,” he shared. “I really just want to get an advantage over everybody. I know a lot of people — a lot of people my age — aren’t doing that. That’s where I like to dive deeper into things.
“I realized that I talked to older people… they talk about how important the mental is but they got it at age 30, so I’m like, if I can get that at age 20, right now, then I’m ahead of the game. Just want to get that as soon as possible.”
Even though team star Damian Lillard has requested a transfer out of Oregon, Walker shared that the team remains motivated and even share the objective of earning this Summer League’s title for a second-consecutive year.
“Everybody has had amazing energy, you can tell everybody wants to be here, play together. It’s been a fun group to learn with so far,” the young athlete said.
