Cason Wallace, who shined for Kentucky during the 2022-23 season, has been named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, as announced on Monday.
Wallace, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, had a strong rookie season, helping the Oklahoma City Thunder achieve the best regular-season record in the Western Conference at 57-25.
The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while appearing in all 82 regular-season games for the Thunder, including 13 starts. Wallace shot 49.1% from the field and 41.9% from 3-point range, adding 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. He was one of only two rookies to play in all 82 games this season, alongside teammate Chet Holmgren.
Wallace also contributed in all 10 of the Thunder’s playoff games. The team swept the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round before being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in a tightly contested six-game series in the second round.
At Kentucky, Wallace was an All-Southeastern Conference Freshman Team selection, averaging 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.0 steals per game in 32 appearances. He ranked among the league leaders in assists per game (2nd), assist-to-turnover ratio (4th), and steals per game (4th). His 63 steals were the third most by a UK freshman in program history. Notably, Wallace recorded eight steals in the Champions Classic against Michigan State, tying the record for the most in a single game in Kentucky history.
Kentucky men’s basketball alumni continue to make a significant impact in the NBA. For the 12th consecutive season, UK led the country with 26 former student-athletes on NBA opening day rosters in 2023-24 and topped the nation with 22 players in the NBA Playoffs. At the 2024 NBA All-Star game, Kentucky set a record with seven players earning All-Star selections.
