Oklahoma City Thunder trade up to select Cason Wallace in 2023 NBA Draft

John Calipari has sent his fair share of top-notch prospects into the NBA. Now, the latest Wildcat has achieved that goal as the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Kentucky guard Cason Wallace in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks, who selected him with the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Wallace averaged 11.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and two steals per game in the 32 games of his lone season in Lexington. He was a do it all player for UK as an offensive player that developed as the lead guard over the course of the season while also making the case as the team’s best defender. His production earned him a distinction on the SEC’s All-Freshman Team this past year.

In On3’s Industry Rankings, Wallace was rated as a five-star prospect in the 2022 class out of Richardson High School. He was the No. 7 prospect overall as well as the No. 1 combo guard and the top recruit out of the state of Texas. He then elected to commit to Kentucky over Tennessee, Texas, and UTSA.

Former Wildcats have found more than their fair share of success in the association. That fact should have Thunder fans excited about the chance that they have with Wallace now as a member of their organization.

What NBA Draft experts are saying about Wallace

The consensus is that, as an NBA prospect, Wallace has a very high floor, especially considering his ability to play either position in the backcourt. If he can continue to add the consistent three in the well-known label of ‘three-and-d’, experts believe that he could earn himself a role early on in his pro career.

“The 6-foot-4, 193-pound Wallace dropped plenty of dimes for Kentucky but projects as more of a combo guard at the NBA level, especially since he has a smooth catch-and-shoot jumper. The assists should come though, as he has the vision to pump fake, drive and find the open man. The real standout of his game, however, is his defense. He can make life difficult and wall off opposing ball handlers, and he’s good at finding opportunities off the ball for help-side blocks or jumping in the passing lanes. He should be able to switch onto NBA wings if needed.”

“Wallace has drawn understandable comparisons to Bucks’ Jrue Holiday, another bullying two-way combo guard that can hit open threes. Wallace’s ability to disrupt opposing point guards and make the right play offensively should provide him with a significant NBA role to start his career. If his great spot-up three-point shooting becomes even more reliable, a starting role for a team that needs a 3-and-D jolt could be in the cards sooner than later.