Where Cason Wallace stands in ESPN's new 2023 NBA Mock Draft

As of now, of the four Kentucky Wildcats that have declared for the NBA Draft (Cason Wallace, Jacob Toppin, Oscar Tshiebwe, Antonio Reeves), only one is projected to hear their name called at the Barclays Center in June. Freshman Cason Wallace is the lone Wildcat in ESPN’s latest NBA Mock Draft. Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (formerly of Sports Illustrated) project Wallace to go at the end of the lottery, No. 14 to the New Orleans Pelicans. (The draft order isn’t set yet, so ESPN bases theirs on the BPI draft projections.)

In the write-up, Woo says Wallace is “more NBA-ready than most guards” in the 2023 draft class, and could be a good fit in Nola.

“New Orleans spent much of the season with CJ McCollum as its de facto starting point guard and could find a long-term fit here in Wallace — a tough, consistent two-way player who’s comfortable on and off the ball. While he doesn’t come with immense shot-creating upside and didn’t get to the rim as often as you’d like at Kentucky, Wallace helps drive winning, which has been his reputation dating back to high school. He’s more NBA-ready than most of the guards in this class and offers an appealing floor as a likely high-level contributor.”

In one season at Kentucky, Wallace averaged 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.0 steals in 32.2 minutes per game. He shot 44.6% from the field, 34.6% from long range, and 75.7% from the free-throw line. Injuries kept him from reaching his full potential in Lexington, but even in Kentucky’s final game vs. Kansas State, Wallace resembled the headstrong playmaker he can be at the next level. He’s a projected lottery pick in every major mock draft.

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French superstar Victor Wembanyama is No. 1 in ESPN’s mock draft, followed by Alabama’s Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson from the G-League Ignite. As mentioned, Jacob Toppin, Oscar Tshiebwe, and Antonio Reeves did not make the cut. Of those three, only Toppin has forgone his eligibility, with Tshiebwe and Reeves leaving open the option to return to school. They have until May 31 to make that call. The NBA Draft Combine (May 14-21) and preceding G-League Elite Camp (May 11-14) could play a big part in those decisions.

Oscar is listed on ESPN’s Big Board as the No. 67 prospect, while Chris Livingston — who has not yet announced his plans — is No. 84. Livingston has until April 23 to declare for the draft, even just to receive feedback.