Throughout his three-year career in the association, OKC Thunder guard Cason Wallace has established a reputation for himself largely as a result of one major attribute: his pesky defense.
Unfortunately, his prowess on the less glamorous side of the basketball has flown under the radar this season. Spurs center Victor Wembanyama earned the league's first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year award, while Wallace's teammate, Chet Holmgren, finished second.
Wallace failed to finish in the top nine.
It was Holmgren himself, however, who recently had a surprising admission when discussing NBA defenders.
“I think Cason [Wallace] is the best defender. If you're looking for somebody who not only can defend on ball but off ball in the passing lanes — you know, he can hound you 94 feet. He can get steals, but he can also play solid and just force you to miss a shot. You know, big fan of Cason," said the All-Star on a recent episode of Serge Ibaka's show, "How Hungry Are You?"
Chet Holmgren praises Thunder guard as NBA's best defender
Wallace has done more than enough to validate Holmgren's praise.
Among players who played in 70 or more games this season, Wallace ranked first in defensive rating, second in defensive win share, third in steals, and sixth in defensive field goal percentage.
From the eye test, the third-year man has been a nightmare for opposing guards. He has disrupted the flow of opposing offenses time and time again, be it through steals and blocks or sheer shot disruption.
His skillset was also on full display during round one of this year's postseason. He recorded a total plus/minus of plus-36, and he did so while averaging a mere 5.5 points scored per game.
Wallace did his damage around other elite defenders as well. Guys like Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell were seen flying around the court, while Holmgren himself registered eight blocks in the series.
While picking the best defender out of the entire Thunder roster seems like an impossible task, Holmgren picked Wallace for a reason. He's the only one who ranks in the top three in defensive field goal percentage, defensive rating, and steals among OKC guards.
NBA has yet to see the best out of the Thunder guard
While Wallace was nowhere near receiving DPOY honors, Holmgren may know something the rest of the league doesn't, and that may change sooner rather than later.
With the Thunder facing impending financial decisions this coming offseason, players directly in competition with Wallace on the perimeter could be seeing themselves out.
The third-year guard is still on his rookie deal through the 2026-27 season, and this may make him one of the league's biggest bargains. The defensive mastermind could quickly find himself in an everyday starting role, leading to his minutes and production skyrocketing.
The idea is not far-fetched. Wallace started 58 games this season as a result of numerous Thunder injuries and averaged 26.6 minutes per game. It is a logical next step to see him earn more responsibility on the court as he continues to hone his skills.
At the end of the day, Wallace may have a way to go if he wants the league to see what Holmgren sees in him, but a future Defensive Player of the Year award may not be as far off as some may think.
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