Cason Wallace is making the most of these NBA Playoffs

The former Cat and second-year pro earned himself a starting spot in the NBA Finals.

For those who’ve watched former Kentucky Wildcats play in college, there was little doubt that Cason Wallace had the tools to carve out a role for himself as an NBA player. It’s been a joy to watch him earn a starting spot in the NBA Finals playing alongside the MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Wallace’s stats in his lone season in Lexington weren’t all that impressive on the surface. But his contributions went far beyond his 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. #22 brings a tenacity to both ends of the floor that you can’t replicate or game plan for.

He’s tough as nails and has the skills to add value in a variety of ways. After being selected 10th in the 2023 NBA draft by his hometown Dallas Mavericks, Wallace would quickly be traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 12th pick, Dereck Lively.

There’s no denying that Wallace has benefited from Thunder’s transformation into the best team in the league. Playing alongside the MVP and fellow former Cat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would undoubtedly provide a young player with increased opportunity and confidence.

If you’ve watched the Thunder in the NBA playoffs this spring, you’ve likely noticed Wallace knocking down open 3s. Becoming a bigger threat from the outside makes it hard to keep him off the floor. Although his 3-point percentage is down to 35.6% after shooting over 41% his rookie year, you can tell SGA and others trust him to stick it when the defense gives Wallace an open look.

Hopefully, he can get on track Wednesday night in Indianapolis. He’s had a slow start to the NBA Finals shooting the ball. Through two games, Wallace is 0-5 from three.

Oklahoma City vs. Indiana will tip-off at 8:30 PM ET Wednesday night on ABC, with the series tied 1-1.