Inside The Thunder

Film Review: Cason Wallace Emerging as On Ball Weapon For OKC Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Cason Wallace step up on the ball with Jalen Williams sidelined due to a hip injury. Let's break down how Wallace has gotten better playing off the catch.

Rylan Stiles

Mar 15, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) is defended by Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Mar 15, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) is defended by Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
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Oklahoma City owns one of the deepest rosters in the NBA and with each passing game, the embarrassment of riches is on display.

This week, the OKC Thunder have had to play without its No. 2 scorer in Jalen Williams who left Monday's game against Denver with a hip injury that left him back in Oklahoma City as the Thunder traveled to take on the Celtics, Pistons and Bucks.

That appeared to be a difficult stretch to get through for the Thunder, down plenty of key rotational players, but Oklahoma City is on the other side of that stint with a perfect 3-0 record. That is largely due to the next man up mentality Oklahoma City possess, and the development of its supporting cast.

Cason Wallace burst onto the scene as a rookie last season playing all 82 games at an impactful level. His role was mainly a play finisher, his reputation boxed into a 3-and-D level player, but Oklahoma City –– and Wallace –– always knew there was more in there.

As soon as this Summer, Sam Presti and Mark Daigneault discussed the 2024-25 season being one that would offer Wallace more run way to expand his game, tapping back into that lead guard background of his during the Kentucky product's college and high school days.

That growth has shined over the last week as Wallace has taken a step as an on-ball scorer in the absence of the Santa Clara product.

Against Denver in the second half alone as Williams was shelved, Wallace posted nine points, five assists and three rebounds. He parlayed into a full game against the Celtics where the second year guard turned in 14 points, four rebounds and three assists, including eight fourth quarter points.

Then, the weekend hit. Against the Pistons Wallace got comfortable in the Motor City to the tune of 20 points with nine of them coming in the opening frame.

"I came out with the mindset to go score early. I had one of their main guys on me. Just making his life a little harder on defense. Make him use more energy," Wallace said following the Pistons win. "Defensively, just trying to turn us up early. Didn't want to have a slow start. Wanted to take the fight to them first."

This has been a banner week in Wallace's career and it garnered prasie from Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

"He has tools to be an All-Star. He has tools to be a Jrue Holiday," Gilgeous-Alexander said of Wallace on Sunday. "That type of All-Star. End you defensively and when he has the ball, he can play with it. He can make a play, he can make a shot. Steps up in big moments. He has that ability and to see his confidence grow as he's with us and see his development, it's been really fun, it's been great."

Overall this season, Wallace is shooting 64% at the rim, ranking in the 74th percentile. During the last five games, that number has jumped to a jaw-dropping 77.8% at the cup.

Breaking Down the Film

Let's start with a play that perfectly illustrates the progress Wallace has made on the ball. As he cross the timeline he starts at the top of the key and uses a hesitation dribble into his burst to brush past the POA defender flat footed to get to the rim. Help side defense rotates but Wallace's wingspan and touch is able to loft the ball over the defense for the bucket.

This play displays Wallace's impactful speed with the ball, as he plays great gap defense to get the steal and go coast-to-coast to slam home a transition dunk.

Wallace turns the corner with help of a Hartenstein screen and was able to keep his POA defender on his hip en route to the basket and again shows the touch to get the ball over the low man and finish at the rim.

Wallace immediately gets downhill on this pitch from Hartenstein, gets to his spot in the lane and uses his start stop speed and a cross over to get around the defender and finish at the rim.

Wallace showed against Boston a great ability to run the floor in transition and read the back side defense. He spots White one-on-one and attacks downhill using an in-and-out dribble to set up a spin move finish at the ring.

Wallace first step helps take advantage of a screen by Hartenstein to get past White and uses his body to shield the help defender to finish at the rim.

Wallace is able to use his jab step to set up Horford to blow by the big man to the rim with Wallace's quick first step and keeps Horford on his hip to create a window of space to score.

The second Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dishes to Wallace, he attacks downhill it doesn't allow the Celtics to get back into their shell after sending help to the Thunder star. Wallace takes advantage of the numbers game.

Another example of Wallace reading the floor and seeing the advantages in transition to finish at the rim.

Wallace uses his incredible gather to shake his defender and again understands how to use his body to keep the trail defender on his back and force a late contest which leads to a goal tend buck for the Kentucky product.

Wallace uses his burst to take advantage of a high pick up and gets to the rim unfazed using his off shoulder to keep space between the contest and the ball to finish at the rim.

This has been a great week for Wallace and as the season progresses down the home stretch, the Thunder should be able to find more of these situations to grow their young guard. This could prove to be an X factor come playoff time.

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Rylan Stiles
RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is Lead Beat Writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network. 

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