Though the lion's share of attention was directed at their larger-than-life rookie phenom, Chet Holmgren, lost in his 7-foot-1 shadow was another first-year player for the OKC Thunder who inarguably had himself a splendid debut campaign.
Cason Wallace, the 10 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, established himself as an efficient and dependable backcourt contributor who impacted the game on both ends of the floor.
Playing in all 82 games on the year, the 20-year-old found himself logging 20.6 minutes per night and posted solid all-around averages of 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, just shy of a steal, and half a block while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor and 41.9 percent from deep.
As a result of his productivity, he was selected to participate in All-Star Weekend's Rising Stars exhibition and, by year's end, was selected to the All-Rookie Second Team.
Now, heading into year two, Wallace is looking to continue his upward trajectory and has already taken some steps he believes necessary to position himself for a sophomore leap.
Early on into the Thunder's 2024-25 preseason endeavors, it appears that his skills and makeup are finally beginning to garner the notice and praise that they deserve, as veteran teammate, Kenrich Williams recently went on record to draw a lofty comparison between his young teammate and one of the game's best current two-way backcourt talents.
OKC Thunder guard Cason Wallace compared to Jrue Holiday
Asked how Wallace stacked up against some of his current and former teammates that he's played with throughout his, now, seven seasons in the association, Williams noted that of all the talents he's had the pleasure to run with, current Boston Celtics star guard, Jrue Holiday is the one he compares Wallace to.
"Just playing with Jrue, I think that Cason has some very good instincts on defense. Stuff you can't teach. Great hands, and he has long arms so he's able to guard bigger guys," Williams said.
Williams and Holiday spent two seasons together (2018-2020) with the New Orleans Pelicans, where the former was a developing youngster and the latter served as one of the club's main centerpieces.
This comparison to the two-time All-Star and NBA Champion is far from a new talking point, as Wallace came into the league linked to the likes of Holiday as a player his skills on both ends of the floor seemed to resemble, as they are long and lanky combo guards boasting roughly a 6-foot-4 frame and have games highly predicated on defensive intangibles and perimeter scoring.
What's exciting about Williams' take on Wallace is the fact that he would note "I think he's great and he's only going to get better," which is the exact analysis one wishes to hear about a youngster who many believe should develop into a core member of this Thunder backcourt rotation
Hopefully, heading into 2024-25, he can continue to showcase his high-upside skills and further strengthen his link to one of the modern era's best two-way guard talents in Jrue Holiday.