Cason Wallace is "perfectly fine" being in Oklahoma

Cason Wallace was most certainly more than fine when he first thought he was going to start his pro career with the Mavericks, who selected him with the No. 10 overall pick in Thursday’s 2023 NBA draft. His hometown of Richardson, Texas is a Dallas suburb, so the thought of moving back to a familiar area probably had him already counting all of the tickets he would have to buy for his friends and family to come to watch him play all the time.

However, if that elation was a rug, it got yanked out from under him in a hurry when he found out Mark Cuban’s squad was actually just drafting him on behalf of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who traded up for the privilege of his services.

The NBA really needs to take a page out of the NFL’s book and announce these trades prior to the pick. It is cruel and unusual punishment to make these guys wear the logo of an organization that doesn’t want them for the biggest moment of their lives. I know deals happen quickly on draft day, but if Woj and Shams are tweeting it out, then someone in the arena has time to swap out hats really quickly.

Wallace calls Oklahoma fine, is not wrong

Wallace, who is not exactly known for his exuberant personality, remained his stoic self when asked about his future city of residence. In the post-draft press conference, he gave Oklahoma City the most ringing endorsement he could muster:

“I definitely will be fine in Oklahoma. There’s not much to do, but it lets you stay focused, and that’s the main goal. I was out there for a workout, and I have been to a game before, so I’m perfectly fine being in Oklahoma.”

Cason Wallace | NBA

“I’m perfectly fine with being in Oklahoma” pic.twitter.com/ehCCQYwxSz

— Andrew Schlecht (@AndrewKSchlecht) June 23, 2023

Some OKC fans were not too happy with their lottery pick ragging on their lack of city activities.

To be fair, his point was that without the distractions of big-city life, he will be able to focus on basketball and pretty much nothing else. No summer pool parties for this guy, much to the delight of KSR callers.

To be even more fair, Oklahoma City is kind of awful when it comes to NBA locales. It is not quite Salt Lake City, Utah, but it certainly isn’t the place where I would rush if I were a 20-year-old multi-millionaire. Still, I’m sure former ‘Cat, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, will show him the ropes. At the very least, he will at least show him where to buy clothes.

Whataburger to the rescue

The good news is that Oklahoma is close enough to Texas to feature a slew of Whataburgers, something that seemed to pique Wallace’s interest when former KSR writer, TJ Beisner, pointed out this fact on Instagram.

OKC fans on Twitter were a little feisty after taking his, “There is nothing to do in Oklohoma” quote to heart, but the Whataburger post was a good way to win them back. Nothing bonds strangers more than appreciating the same fast-food restaurant chain.

Cason Wallace is thrilled to be back in a Whataburger market 😂 #Thunder pic.twitter.com/RMqDa4ZDM0

— Dylan Buckingham (@DylanBuckingham) June 23, 2023