Coming into his third season, expectations are rather high for OKC Thunder guard, Cason Wallace.
With every passing year since entering the association 10 overall back in 2023, the Kentucky product has consistently found ways to improve his game. From his increased scoring numbers to the strides made with his overall defensive prowess, Wallace objectively took quite a significant step forward from year one to two.
Now, with the 2025-26 campaign just days away, many are sharing their takes on what new heights the 21-year-old could end up reaching, with some going as far as to suggest a breakout into stardom may actually be in the cards.
Of course, considering he's likely to be a regular participant off the pine, seeing him head out to Los Angeles for the illustrious mid-season exhibition doesn't seem all that realistic.
Instead, taking home the Sixth Man of the Year award could be more of an attainable goal for the youngster.
Thunder guard Cason Wallace deserves to be legitimate 6MOY contender
Though recent history suggests the Sixth Man of the Year moniker is heavily catered to second-unit scoring weapons with high volume, Wallace is a talent that could (and should) turn this narrative on its head this coming season.
Best known for his elite defensive efforts, the point guard is fresh off a 2024-25 run where he ranked fifth in the NBA in total deflections, sixth in total steals, and placed within the 95th percentile in defensive estimated plus/minus last season.
With this, along with his efficient per-game averages of 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on 47.4 percent shooting from the floor and 35.6 percent shooting from deep, Wallace was able to finish with a +5.5 plus-minus when coming off the pine, just 0.1 behind eventual Sixth Man of the Year recipient, Payton Pritchard.
And yet, despite all these facts, the Thunder stud still isn't seen as being worthy of so much as a mention on the pre-season odds list.
Something's not right with this picture!
It's clear that, with Wallace on the floor, this Oklahoma City squad has been as close to perfect as a team could hope to be, as they ranked in the 91 percentile in point differential, the 91 percentile in opponent points per 100 possessions, and the 99 percentile in turnover percentage in such sets last year.
Now, with his publicly made promises to be more aggressive on the offensive end of the floor moving forward, it's hard not to expect his impact on the reigning champions' winning ways to receive more of the spotlight.
Hopefully, with more recognition comes more buzz about his candidacy for the Sixth Man of the Year award that, frankly, is already more than deserving of acknowledgment.