NBA Draft: Kentucky’s Cason Wallace Making Strong Top-Ten Case

Kentucky guard Cason Wallace has made a strong case to become a top-ten pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Kentucky guard Cason Wallace has made a strong case to become a top-ten pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

A consensus top-20 recruit in the 2022 high school class, Wallace is a 6-foot-4 combo guard who’s amidst a breakout season at Kentucky.

Thus far, Wallace is averaging 12.8 points on 51 percent shooting and 48 percent from beyond the arc. He’s also tacking on 3.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists a remarkable 2.5 steals per game for the Wildcats.

But with just 13 collegiate games under his belt, questions will arise: is his hot shooting legitimate and is his defense replicable?

Across 33 games tracked by Cerebro Sports database, Wallace has shot 34 percent from beyond the arc on 3.3 attempts, a completely respectable number that’s seen continual improvement.

Suffice to say, Wallace is a legitimate shooting threat. While those numbers can and likely will see a dip in his early NBA years, he’ll be a feared shooter throughout his professional career.

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Defensively, Wallace is in another stratosphere compared to most draft prospects. An overused but relevant term, Wallace is a menace on the defensive end of the court.

Despite not having any overwhelming length, Wallace makes up for it with impeccable footwork, tenacity and unteachable defensive instincts.

Per Draft Digest’s preseason scouting report on Wallace: “Wallace is one of the best defenders in this freshman class. He takes defense personally and wants to lock down whoever is in front of him. With his frame, Wallace can guard three positions at a high level. He stays low to the ground, moves his feet well, and makes the right reads. His hands are also lightning quick.”

He’s a rare defensive playmaker that won’t be the flashy contributor, but will always have an influence on winning. He’s one of the biggest competitors in this class and wants to win at all costs.”

Wallace isn't elite at putting the ball on the floor, but he's completely serviceable and an above-average passer and playmaker for the position he'll likely play in the NBA: a defensive-minded combo guard who can space the floor.

While there’s certainly prospects with more upside, Wallace’s high-floor ability as an elite 3-and-D player could land him within the top ten of the 2023 draft.

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