#15 Cason Wallace
Height: 6’4
Weight: 193 pounds
School: Kentucky
Position: PG/SG
Class: Freshman
WHO
Wallace has long been in the eye of many scouts, starting with his high school days at Richardson High School (TX). He broke out as a senior, winning the Gatorade Texas Boys Basketball Player of the Year, the Dallas Morning News Boys Basketball Player of the Year, and a Mcdonalds’ All-American Game participant. He fielded offers from Tennessee, West Virginia, and Texas, before choosing Kentucky.
Wallace had a great freshman year for the Wildcats in a year that was uninspiring, to say the least for Calipari and the Kentucky crew. Wallace averaged 11.7 points per game, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 32 total games.
At times we saw a Wallace that was a defensive menace, amassing steals as often as he found buckets and assists. But we can’t forget the days when his shot seemed off, his energy tapered, and his hustle and grit lessened by some leg, back, and ankle injuries. For the most part, Wallace was the best player on a Kentucky team loaded with stars like Oscar Tshiebwe and Sahvir Wallace, but he was on and off for a large portion of the season.
Cason Wallace is arguably the best perimeter defender in this draft class. He reads the game very well, and he has the grit to execute some gutsy plays. He’s strong enough to guard bigger defenders, shifty enough to guard smaller ones and use his big arms and large wingspan to poke away a lot of steals.
He can also be a very good shooter. At both Richardson and Lexington, he was a great spot-up shooter, someone who’s fluid from both range and the rim, and a smooth midrange shooter. He may not be All-Star material, but Wallace can be a crucial player with a very long NBA career, much like Jrue Holiday.
There are still issues that prevent him from being a very high lottery pick. Wallace’s jump shot seems shaky if he gets in the wrong places, and isn’t a great scorer like Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller. He’s also been pestered by injuries throughout his freshman year, and more of those same injuries could derail his early years in the league.
WHY
Teams will want Wallace because of his lucrative perimeter defense, which is arguably the best in this draft class. He’s tough and gritty, and his tools; his playmaking with the ball, his versatility, and his mentality; have come to be prized by lots of executives and fans. He’s the ultimate glue guard; a ball-handler that can play with or without the ball in his hands, with or without clutch minutes. You could see him reasonably get good minutes with the Mavs, Lakers, Raptors, and a myriad of teams.
The only catch is his offensive skills are a mixed bag. Although he’s agile and strong for his 6’3 size, he’s not freakishly athletic like many of the guards in this draft. He’s not the best shooter, the flashiest creator, or the best dribbler. We didn’t see his true potential on a flawed Kentucky team that only showed glimmers of brilliance, so we still don’t know what to expect on offense. That’s turned a lot of fans and scouts away from the guard.
PRO SCOUT QUOTES
Cason Wallace is one of the X-factors of the NBA Draft. He’s been picked over Anthony Black and Gradey Dick at #8, or below Jordan Hawkins and Jalen Hood-Schifino at #17.
When it comes to well-rounded prospects, look no further than Wallace. He does nearly everything well, making it hard to define clear weaknesses. He’s certainly not elite at everything, but he impacts the game on so many levels. This makes him one of the best two-way guards in this class. His defensive upside is what will result in him likely being selected in the lottery. Wallace is elite on that end of the floor.
Draft Digest Staff, SI.com
Defends much bigger than his height would suggest. Much like Jrue Holiday, he hounds opponents with his length, toughness, and fundamentals. On the ball, he stays seated in a low stance with arms wide, ready to poke at the ball or position himself to disrupt the path of opponents. With great strength, he’s able to withstand contact from stronger scorers, using his footwork to beat big wings to spots and then absorb contact without moving.
Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer
Wallace’s reputation is built on the defensive end. He has drawn comparisons to Jrue Holiday and De’Anthony Melton; perhaps a mild overestimation, but an indicator of how highly talent-evaluators think of Wallace. It’s very difficult to be a true game-changer on the defensive end as a 6-foot-4 guard. He’s a game-changer.
Christopher Kline, FanSided
Great playmaker… Does not always go with the first read… Pick-and-roll magician… Solid playmaker but not superb… Great with off-ball movement to get open from three… Does not hesitate when shooting from the perimeter… Will need to develop a pull-up perimeter shot… Hard to get by him as a defender… Makes ball handlers get super uncomfortable… Knows when to double-team players and create havoc… Can anticipate passing lanes and creates steals… Knock on him is his size… But he should be able to make an impact… Good toughness… His offensive game may not be impactful at the NBA level.
HoopsHype Staff, USA Today
If you want a versatile two-way guard who fits into nearly every lineup, Cason Wallace is your guy. Wallace joined Kentucky as a 5-star recruit out of Richardson, Texas, and he was able to meet his high expectations during his freshman season. Cason was able to make a large impact on both sides of the ball this season, as he was the team’s primary point of attack defender on defense while being the team’s table-setter on offense.
The Swish Theory
