Inside The Thunder

OKC Thunder: Cason Wallace Catches Fire in Summer League Debut

After finalizing his contract with the Thunder, Cason Wallace impressed in first summer league game as he led the team in scoring.

Dustin McLaughlin

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In their first game of the Las Vegas Summer League, Oklahoma City finally got to see what Cason Wallace looks like on an NBA floor. Wallace had missed all three games in the Salt Lake City Summer League due to the nature of the trade that resulted in the Thunder landing him.

And boy, did he impress.

The 6-foot-3 guard got off to a strong start in the first quarter, scoring six of the Thunder’s first eight points as he splashed home two 3-pointers. He also showed excellent activity and effort on the glass, resulting in three rebounds in the first minute or so.

Wallace came off the bench in the second frame and immediately hit his third 3-pointer of the night as he received a wrap-around pass from Ousmane Dieng. Moments later, his sophomore center teammate, Jaylin Williams, would find him for two more triples, giving him five made 3-pointers before halftime.

In the third frame, Wallace saw three defenders collapse on him as he stepped into the paint, resulting in a beautifully executed lob pass to a cutting Keyontae Johnson who would hammer it home. Wallace then went one-on-one with Mike Miles on the right wing, driving him down into the right block before pulling up and rattling home another two points.

Perhaps the highlight of the game happened when Wallace had the ball poked away and had to recover it in the back-court with just four seconds left on the shot clock. Seemingly not fazed by the circumstances, he simply picked up the ball and dribbled it to the half-court line before rising up and banking home his sixth 3-pointer — a 45-footer — to put a cap on his stellar performance and help secure a Thunder victory.

Wallace finished the match with a team-high 20 points as he knocked down six of his ten 3-point attempts while also recording three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 26 minutes.

The Thunder’s prized first-round pick will have a chance to suit up again on Tuesday when Oklahoma City will face off with Houston at 5:30 p.m. CST.

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Dustin McLaughlin
DUSTIN MCLAUGHLIN

Dustin has followed the Oklahoma City Thunder since their inception in 2008, and the NBA since the early 2000s. He's been scouting NBA prospects for 4 years and running.

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