Just in his second year, Cason Wallace has become one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
This has been overshadowed by the Oklahoma City Thunder’s other star defenders, Alex Caruso, Jalen Williams, and Lugentz Dort. There is a case to be made that Wallace is the best defender of them all.
Wallace was considered a possible trade piece after being the 10th overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. Since then, the former Kentucky Wildcat has shown he can be a role player on a championship-caliber team.
All-Defense Stats
Wallace has put together a defensive masterclass this year. He ranks fifth in steals per game (1.8), third in steal percentage (3.1%), tied for third in deflections per game (3.8), an opponent field goal percentage of just 43.2%, a defensive rating of 104.0, and seventh in total steals (81).
Stars have been dreading the game that they have to be defended by Wallace. For example, Trae Young had 10 turnovers against OKC at the beginning of the year, while Wallace had four steals and was the primary defender on the All-Star. Tyrese Haliburton had a nightmare game against Wallace, scoring only four points on six shot attempts. Wallace had two steals and a block in this game.
Why People Overlook Wallace
With OKC’s many headline players, such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Lu Dort, people seem to forget Cason Wallace, the glue that holds it all together. Even though he does not have eye-popping offensive numbers, he has significantly improved on that side of the ball.
Wallace also averages just 27.4 minutes per game. Because of this, he will not be guarding the lead guard like Ja Morant or Stephen Curry as much as a defender like Jrue Holiday or Dyson Daniels. Instead, Wallace brings the clamps to the opponent’s sixth man for most of the game.
How He Can Change the Narrative
Come playoff time, Wallace has a massive opportunity to get the media attention he deserves.
During last year’s playoffs, Wallace helped limit star scorers such as Kyrie Irving and CJ McCollum to lackluster playoff series. With continued playoff success and opponent guards struggling, Wallace will finally get the recognition he deserves as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
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