Since entering the association as the 10 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Cason Wallace has established himself as a beloved contributor among the OKC Thunder faithful.
With his stellar combination of quickness, trusty shooting skills (splits of 48.2/38.9/79.7 for his career), and defensive instincts, the point guard quickly worked his way toward seeing regular minutes within coach Mark Daigneault's rotation in year one and, come year two, playing a key role in the club's NBA Championship run.
Now, thanks to the attention drawn toward Oklahoma City after achieving ultimate success, his abilities are being recognized well beyond the Sooner State, with some arguing that he has the potential to be the team's next breakout star.
In fact, the hype surrounding Wallace has gotten so intense that he's now even being tabbed as a legitimate option to represent the United States in the 2028 Olympic Games.
Thunder guard Cason Wallace tabbed as possible Olympic participant
During a recent edition of The Zach Lowe Show, the eponymous host discussed with guest, Bill Simmons, who they believe should end up filling out the roster of Team USA during the Los Angeles-based games three summers from now.
Among the already established star names that were mentioned, including the likes of Anthony Edwards and fellow Thunder teammate Jalen Williams, Wallace was chosen by Simmons as a realistic reserve option, a decision that led Lowe to enthusiastically say, "I love this!"
While acknowledging that the idea of adding the Energizer Bunny-type talent to this roster was partially based on a desire to add even more ferocity and two-way stability to their depth, Simmons also noted that his inclusion is rooted in betting on his high-end development in a few years' time.
"It's a bet on him, what he's going to be like over the next couple of years. You figure Lu Dort and [Alex] Caruso, I don't think they have both of those guys in two years from now. The second apron makes it impossible. He's going to keep getting big minutes in big games. I think he'll have to handle the ball a little more as the years pass and maybe he can be my second ball-handler... We've seen over and over again, the all offense, no defense point guards like [Jalen] Brunson or whoever usually get shoved out because you need defense and shooting when we get to like the last three rounds," Simmons said.
As things currently stand, Wallace is not only one of the best young defensemen in the game today, but simply one of the best defenders, period.
In just his sophomore season, we saw him rank fifth in the NBA in total deflections, sixth in total steals, and place within the 95th percentile in defensive estimated plus/minus last season. On top of this, with him on the floor, the Thunder boasted a defensive rating of 107.1 and held opponents to 108.8 points per 100 possessions (91 percentile).
What's perhaps most impressive about all of this is the fact that J-Dub recently revealed he's this disruptive and effective on the less glamorous side of the ball without even understanding how to watch film.
In a few years, not only should the expectation be that Wallace will find a way to level up his play on the defensive end, but, should he be tasked with more on-ball duties on offense with the potential departures of Lu Dort and Alex Caruso, his skills on both ends should be much improved come 2028, which, to Simmons, makes him a player to keep an eye on as Team USA begins scouting for players.