The OKC Thunder tipped off the Vegas portion of their NBA Summer League journey. Saturday marked the debut of 10th overall pick Cason Wallace. The Kentucky guard was ineligible to play in the Salt Lake City version of the Summer League due to the league’s awkward handling of transactions. Wallace’s debut was much anticipated, even by him, and he only needed 11 minutes and 28 seconds to jolt the Oklahoma City Thunder fanbase.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are leading the Dallas Mavericks 48-42 at halftime of Saturday afternoon’s contest, and the big story is Cason Wallace. The Dallas native playing his hometown team and the franchise that traded him just weeks ago put on an absolute clinic.
OKC Thunder top pick Cason Wallace needed just one half to show his unreal potential.
The OKC Thunder have longed for shooting since…well, 2008. The team improved in that category a year ago, largely thanks to Isaiah Joe, and in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Thunder grabbed Cason Wallace, who shot 40 percent from beyond the arc for a large chunk of his freshman season at Kentucky. He, alongside Chet Holmgren’s year-long anticipated debut, should do wonders for Mark Daigneault’s offense. Wallace showed why on Saturday.
Cason Wallace can play on or off the ball, fitting that versatile mold that the OKC Thunder crave. In just the first 11 minutes of his NBA life, Wallace stole the hearts of the heartland. So far tonight, Wallace has 15 points, a steal, an assist, three rebounds, and shot 5-for-6 from three-point land. His catch-and-shoot stroke has long been desired in Bricktown and will complement the rest of the Thunder’s young core. This is how NBA Twitter reacted to Wallace’s first half.
Cason Wallace can shoot shoot, OKC did it again folks. pic.twitter.com/NSGK3bvHky
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) July 8, 2023
I don’t think it’s gonna take long for Cason Wallace to become a fan favorite in OKC.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) July 8, 2023
Cason Wallace is the greatest player of all time
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) July 8, 2023
Cason Wallace is 6'4 Klay Thompson
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) July 8, 2023
Get your Cason Wallace stock now before we sell out over here
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) July 8, 2023
The Oklahoma City Thunder have seemingly grabbed another top prospect in the NBA Draft. I have received five texts from NBA personnel gushing over Wallace and his fit with the Thunder. If this first half of Wallace’s career is any indication, this will be an extremely fun era in Bricktown.