Jabari Walker signed a two-way deal with the Sixers but the 22-year-old forward is ready to work for playing time and a standard contract.
Jabari Walker’s reputation precedes him.
After it was announced that he’d be signing with the Sixers on a two-way deal, an outpouring of kind words came out from his prior stop. Walker, the son of longtime NBA forward Samaki Walker, spent the first three seasons of his NBA career in Portland after being selected by the Trail Blazers in the second round in 2022.
He’s grateful for the positive responses to his tenure there.
“Word gets around fast,” he said during his first media availability as a Sixer, “so the interactions that I do have, whether it’s at the airport or getting food, they just pass those things along. It’s crazy just seeing all the accounts and all the Instagram guys that I never met having all these things about me … like, ‘Oh, I know him through a friend’ or ‘I know him through a story.’”
While Walker’s impact on the Portland community was obvious, he’s hoping to make a serious impact on the court in Philly. The 22-year-old, who many believed would get a standard NBA contract, was forced to settle for a two-way deal with the Sixers.
But Walker isn’t letting that disappointment linger. He sees an opportunity with the Sixers to earn playing time — and perhaps a standard deal — by filling a positional hole and helping in areas of need.
“I think the guard play is amazing,” Walker said. “There’s great wings. Obviously, Joel [Embiid] and the bigs … the roster is pretty overall great. But I think that three-four [position] is where I can bring some defensive energy, rebounding.”
Anyone who’s followed the Sixers the past couple seasons knows what Walker is talking about.
Last season, the team hit big on a minimum signing by bringing Guerschon Yabusele back from overseas to help fill in at the four spot. The Dancing Bear had a successful one-year stint in Philly, but signed with the New York Knicks last week.
Even with the Sixers signing Trendon Watford to a minimum deal, there’s plenty of room for Walker to earn minutes. Watford is also a combo forward, capable of playing the three and four, but his skillset is much different from Walker’s.
Walker checks some big boxes for the Sixers. How many times have we heard Daryl Morey use the phrase “younger and more dynamic”? Well, Walker will turn just 23 at the end of the month and provides plenty of athleticism.
But the biggest gap Walker can fill: rebounding. The Sixers have been a poor rebounding team for the last several seasons. In 2024-25, they finished dead last in rebounding percentage. Over his three-year career, Walker has averaged over 10.0 rebounds (3.0 offensive) per 36 minutes. His 15.5 rebounding percentage would be one of the top marks in the league if he played enough minutes to qualify.
Walker also saw a major uptick in his three-point shooting this past season, making 38.9% of his shots from deep. If that improvement is real — combined with his energetic style, ability on the glass and positional versatility — he could be an ideal fit.
“We have some great ball handlers and creators,” Walker said, “and they attract a lot of attention, so what’s needed is that three-point shot. I think putting a lot of time into it has helped me a lot. It took me a year or two just to get adjusted to the (NBA) three-point line. I don’t think my legs had enough to comprehend the game and then (also) being efficient from the line, so I took a summer just strictly shooting, changed some things about my form to make it a little bit more fluid, and it’s been effective.”
Walker is also what you’d call a low-maintenance player. He doesn’t require the ball to make an impact. He understands his role and how to best execute it. That mindset is what helped his dad stay in the NBA for 10 seasons and play with Hall of Famers. He was a role player on a Los Angeles Lakers team that won a championship in 2001-02.
If there’s anything he learned from his dad, a top-10 pick back in 1996, it’s to not let chances like this one pass you by.
“My situation is different than his was,” Walker said, “but he just talked to me a lot about adversity and just taking advantage of every opportunity I get. He just told me this is another big opportunity and nothing really changes as far as my work ethic. Everything I’ve done to get here just continues and amplifies a little bit. With more opportunity, more work comes.”
Whether it’s on a two-way or standard deal, Walker is going to make the most of it.
“I didn’t think that would be a position I was in, but the market and just feedback, it doesn’t lie,” he said. “So whether that’s things I need to be doing better or whether that’s just the situation, it all led to me being here. I’m just grateful for this moment because a lot of people don’t even have this.
“I’m friends with former teammates that aren’t even in the league anymore. Talking to them, they’re like, ‘Man, take advantage of what you have in front of you.’ So yes, the goal is the (standard) contract, but just me being here and being part of a team that wants to win, playing with all these great guys, I’m just grateful.”