Two former Dallas-area basketball stars named among Jay Bilas’ top 10 NBA draft prospects

ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas unveiled his top 10 prospects in this year’s NBA draft on Tuesday morning.

It featured two Dallas-area stars: former Duncanville 5-star prospect Ron Holland and former Baylor star Ja’Kobe Walter, a McKinney native.

Both players received invitations to attend the 2024 NBA draft and sit in the green room, according to ESPN.

And both are expected to be potential lottery picks.

This year’s draft will be the first to be held over two days; The first round will take place on Wednesday at the Barclays Center, while the second round will take place on Thursday at an ESPN studio in lower Manhattan.

Holland, 18, was named the 2023 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American as a senior after averaging 20.5 points and 10.1 rebounds for Duncanville (29-1), which finished No. 3 among ESPN national high school boys. basketball rankings.

The 6’8 forward was a Dallas Morning News First team all-area honoree in junior and senior.

Holland, the No. 2 player in ESPN’s nationally ranked 2024 class, signed with Texas but was granted a release from his letter of intent last May and signed with G-League Ignite a week later. He averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 14 games played this season.

“One of the youngest prospects in this draft, the Duncanville, Texas, native is a superior athlete with great length and an aggressive mentality,” Bilas wrote. “Holland is a driver and slasher who scores on cuts, in transition and finishes with authority around the rim. Defensively, Holland has all the tools, but he needs to be more consistent with his effort and focus, which is not uncommon for young prospects. Holland was a McDonald’s All American who chose the G League route and averaged nearly 18 points and seven rebounds per game, but struggled with turnovers and consistency in perimeter shooting. Still, Holland has the talent and considerable potential to succeed in the NBA.”

Walter, 19, played at McKinney during his junior year before the five-star transferred to Link Academy (Mo.) in the summer of 2022.

He was a Dallas Morning News Third-team all-area honoree as a sophomore.

As a junior, Walter led McKinney to its first state championship game, where he scored a team-high 23 points against Duncanville. He averaged 23.3 points and 7.6 rebounds that season, winning the 5-6A Offensive Player of the Year award and Dallas Morning News First Team All-Area Honors.

He was also selected to the 2021-22 Texas Basketball Coaches Association All-State Team and the 6A State Tournament Team.

The 6’5 guard became the Big 12 Freshman of the Year during his lone season in Waco, averaging 14.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.

“Walter is one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft, along with Colorado’s Cody Williams, in my opinion,” Bilas wrote. “Standing 6-5 with a 6-10 wingspan, Walter is an excellent perimeter shooter who has a high release, jumps softly and is very good at drawing fouls. While Walter struggled shooting the ball early in Big 12 play, he has excellent potential as a floor-spacing wing. As the 19-year-old gets stronger and matures, he should become a better finisher and defender. Walter shot 47% at the rim, which should (and should) improve as he gets stronger. With his length, Walter can also be a good defender. Whether it’s scouting, shooting off screens or generating looks, Walter can shoot the ball.”

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