Cason Wallace, the 10th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has been vital to the Oklahoma City Thunder’s success this season.
As the usual fifth starter for the Thunder, Wallace does just about anything on the basketball court.
The Thunder’s plan for Wallace has been apparent this season— develop him into a Derrick White-esque “do everything” man a championship team needs.
An Elite Defender
Cason Wallace is one of the best defenders on a historic defense and is arguably the best guard defender on the team. He undoubtedly succeeds in difficult matchups every night while being even better off the ball.
Wallace is fourth in the NBA in total steals and sixth in steals per game. He has held notable matchups Jalen Brunson to 4/11 shooting and Jalen Green to 2/11. Opponents shoot only 42.5% on Wallace in the fourth quarter and overtime.
The advanced metrics also love him. he is ranked as a top-five guard in D-EPM (Defensive-Estimated Plus-Minus) at +1.8. Also, he is the eighth-best wing in D-LEBRON at +1.38.
The perimeter defensive trio of Wallace, Alex Caruso, and Lu Dort is already brutal to overcome, but with Wallace’s improvements and work ethic, it will only get tougher.
Cason Wallace Improving on Offense
Throughout the season, Cason Wallace has continuously improved on the offensive side of the ball while maintaining elite defense.
Wallace is averaging 0.7 more points per game than last season, but his last 15 games have been exceptional. In particular, he has averaged 9.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in this span.
Additionally, he is shooting a stellar 42.9% from three after starting at 28.3% from deep in his first 20 games.
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Beyond the box score, Caso’s O-LEBRON has increased significantly, from -1.51 to -0.52. Although the stat still shows him as negative, his rating is around the same as Jalen Suggs.
Thunder Head Coach Mark Daigneault has given Wallace more trust on offense throughout January. On average, he has made two more shot attempts than in previous months and is shooting 10.7% better from the field.
In January, Wallace averaged 10.0 points over 30.2 minutes per game. He is shooting 47.2% from three and 51.9% overall.
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Wallace slows the game down and plays well beyond his years. He credits his brother, Keaton Wallace, on the Atlanta Hawks.”My older brother, I really had to grow up and a man in certain situations, and take care of business,” said Cason Wallace when asked about his maturity.
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After making the All-Rookie Second Team last season, Wallace is striding toward the top of his class.
Rising Wallace
Wallace was named to the NBA Rising Stars player pool and will be selected into one of the four teams competing in the Rising Stars Challenge, a mini-tournament where the winner now competes in the NBA All-Stars’ tournament with the new format.
This is his second Rising Stars selection. The Thunder have had six straight seasons with a Rising Stars selectee.
Cason Wallace remains a menace on defense, and his offense is coming along, too.
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