What does Jabari Walker's signing mean for 2020 and beyond?

Colorado’s basketball program got a bump Tuesday afternoon when Jabari Walker, a power forward prospect set to graduate this spring, announced that he was committing to CU.

110% committed- thank you to everyone who supported me along the way!❤️ pic.twitter.com/FYA0TEyihX

— Jabari Walker (@JabariWalker) April 7, 2020

Walker, who stands 6-foot-8 and weighs in at just under 200 pounds, could see the court early in his CU career. The Buffs will return Evan Battey and Dallas Walton to man the post, but there is little depth behind them. Only one other returning big man played double-digit minutes last year; Alexander Strating played 54 minutes over 15 games.

Walker has a pretty game. His best attributes are his basketball IQ, creativity and his touch around the rim. At this point, he’s primarily a finesse player who may be a better fit at small forward if his offensive game continues to develop.

Walker can finish in a number of different ways when he’s able to find his way to the rim. His creativity stands out in this area. His long legs allow him to get to the basket off of one or two dribbles, though he could improve significantly as a scorer if he develops his handle to the point where he’s beating defenders from the perimeter. In high school he occassionally brought the ball up the court so his handle isn’t in bad shape, especially for a power forward, but there is plenty of room to improve.

Walker also shows promise as a passer. Again, this ability will become much more valuable if he develops as a ball-handler. His shooting range helps him open up passing lanes, though he’s likely a “short-clock only” shooter from deep at this point.

Walker is a smooth athlete with some explosive qualities, but he’ll need to keep improving his handle or jumpshot to become more than a third option on offense. However, if he develops significantly in both of those areas, Walker could become an elite Pac-12 offensive weapon as a combo forward.

Defensively, Walker will struggle to defend true big men in the paint and he will be dominated early. He weighs in about 20 pounds lighter than Tyler Bey. Walker needs more mass and he needs to learn how to use the mass he already carries more efficiently.

What Walker gives up in size, he makes up for with a strong feel for shot-blocking. He has plus timing, length and jumping ability for his position and projects as an elite Pac-12 shot-blocker longterm. Whether he can reject enough shots to make up for his expected inability to keep opposing bigs out of the paint could decide how much he sees the court as a freshman.

Walker’s father, Samaki Walker, played 10 seasons as a power forward in the NBA after being selected ninth overall in 1996. He won the 2002 NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Overall, expect Walker to develop into a top-30 Pac-12 player with first-team all-conference potential. He’ll be flasy defensively, though his frame may not allow him to become a true defensive weapon in the post.