KSR's 2022 McDonald's All-American Game scouting report

John Calipari will bring in just two new freshmen for the 2022-23 season, but they sure do look like two of the best in the entire country.

During Tuesday night’s 2022 McDonald’s All-American Game, class of 2022 five-star recruits Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston stood out as a few of the top stars in the event. Both future Wildcats suited up as starters on opposite teams (Wallace on the West, Livingston on the East) and played upwards of 20 minutes apiece. The East squad came away with an easy 105-81 victory after leading by 20 at halftime.

Wallace, the No. 5 overall senior per the On3 Consensus, finished his night with seven points (3-10 shooting, 1-2 from 3PT), five rebounds, a team-high six assists, one steal, and one turnover in just under 21 minutes of action. On the other end, Livingston, the No. 10 overall senior in the On3 Consensus, posted 13 points on 5-9 shooting (2-4 from 3PT) to go along with six rebounds, five assists, and two turnovers in over 22 minutes. His night was marred a bit by his 1-7 clip from the free-throw line, which we’ll talk more about in the scouting reports below.

But all-in-all, the two Kentucky commits were some of the clear stars from the first mainstream All-Star Game of the offseason.

Let’s take a closer look at their performances.

Cason Wallace

An instant fan favorite for Kentucky next season, Wallace is a gritty, do-it-all guard capable of playing on and off the ball. A high-level perimeter defender who guards one through three, the 6-4 standout showed off his versatility and nose for the ball all week at the prestigious event. He brings a dog mentality onto the floor with him at all times, a proven competitor who fights to make winning plays regardless of the setting.

The defense has been clear with Wallace from the start. His growth as a ball-handler and shooter over the last year, though, will allow John Calipari to get creative with how he’s used on the floor. Primarily an off-ball two-guard, his comfort as an initiator and playmaker has opened the door for Wallace to spend time at the one in Lexington, as well. His expanding shot, along with his length, toughness and overall defensive prowess also allow him to play the three, an instant plug-and-play player at the collegiate level.

From a pure skill perspective, Wallace is a player who does everything well, but nothing great. He’s not the quickest, strongest, tallest or most athletic, and he’s not completely polished as a pure shooter and ball-handler. His fight, competitiveness and will to win, though, are second-to-none in the class, and that was on full display at the McDonald’s All-American Games. Seven points, six assists, five rebounds and one steal is simply another day at the office for the Kentucky signee.

— Jack Pilgrim

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Wallace is commonly known as one of the premier defenders in his class, which he confirmed despite playing in what is typically a laid-back setting. At times, he appeared to be the only one willing to dig into his stance on defense. He spoke about his “dog mentality” during Monday’s press conference and it sure didn’t look like he was putting on a front once he stepped on the hardwood. Wallace uses his length and strength to keep even the quickest defenders in front of him.

On the offensive end, he left a bit to be desired. He shot just 3-10 from the floor and had a layup attempt blocked where he blew past his defender but slowed down once he got near the basket. Wallace did knock down a spot-up 3-pointer in the corner, bullied past a defender for an easy layup, and finished with the most assists on his team. Playing alongside other combo guards in Keyonte George (Baylor) and Nick Smith Jr. (Arkansas), we didn’t see Wallace settle into either a point guard or two-guard role. Instead, he simply played as a pure guard who split time playing on and off the ball.

— Zack Geoghegan

Chris Livingston

Livingston was the better player of the two future ‘Cats on Tuesday night. His 13 points were tied for the second-most on the East Team as he was able to do his damage from all areas of the floor. Had he not shot 1-7 from the free-throw line, there’s a chance he takes home Most Valuable Player honors instead of Duke’s Dariq Whitehead. Sticking with Livingston’s free-throw troubles, make sure to step back and take a deep breath when you see 1-7. Through 34 games at Oak Hill in the 2021-22 season, Livingston shot 52-75 overall, or just a hair under 70 percent. I’ll give him a pass on that considering what else he brought to the table.

I was impressed with the defense that Livingston provided in the few instances he was legitimately locked in. He’s incredibly long with quick enough feet to defend most wings and even some guards. His block on a Nick Smith mid-range jumper was impressive.

The East Team actually used Livingston as a quasi-guard alongside Whitehead in the backcourt. Livingston is projected as a 3 or a 4 at Kentucky but showed he can handle the ball on the perimeter, too. He canned two catch-and-shoot 3-pointers and was able to bully his way to the rim whenever he spotted a slight crack in the opposing defense.

— Zack Geoghegan

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Livingston was a sneaky MVP candidate for the East, and likely would’ve won the award had he not gone 1-7 from the free-throw line. In fact, that was truly the only downside of the standout forward’s game in the prestigious event.

Finishing with 13 points (5-9 FG, 2-4 3PT), six rebounds, five assists and one block in 20 minutes, Livingston was simply spectacular across the board. He knocked down jump shots, fought through traffic for tough finishes at the rim, attacked the glass, and above all else, defended. A physically imposing player at 6-7, 220 pounds, Livingston has the length and strength to be a force on the defensive end when engaged, and he put that on full display in Chicago. Fighting through ball screens, staying in front of his man and contesting shots, the Kentucky signee showed off clear star potential on that end of the floor.

And then came the offense. Livingston thrives with a full head of steam in transition and off the bounce, scoring through contact at the basket. He’s a mismatch nightmare, making him an ideal small-ball four in Kentucky’s offense. Matching the size and length of typical fours, he clearly has the upper hand in terms of skill to make him a true threat at the next level. He prefers to play the three or even the two, but he’ll need to continue to grow as a shooter and ball-handler for him to be a true difference-maker at those positions at Kentucky. The shot mechanics are there, as shown Tuesday evening. Now it’s about building on that consistency — he knocked down 24 of 72 attempts from three (33.3%) as a senior at Oak Hill.

As well as Livingston played, there is a consistent knock on his game that showed up again at the McDonald’s All-American practices. He tends to disappear at times, playing within the system more than you’d like for a player capable of physically dominating games the way he can. When he ramps up the intensity and commands the ball, he’s inarguably among the best players in his class. That player doesn’t always show up, though.

When put to the test on high school basketball’s biggest and brightest stage, Livingston passed with flying colors. Bringing the ball up the floor, attacking, shooting, passing, rebounding and defending, the future Wildcat did it all, playing like a clear top-10 prospect in his class.

— Jack Pilgrim