Cason Wallace looks 'pretty good' ahead of Florida matchup

Kentucky went on the road to Oxford this week, coming away with a win against Ole Miss. They did so without freshman guard Cason Wallace, who was out thanks to a lower extremity injury. While head coach John Calipari saw his team survive against the Rebels, Florida is in town on Saturday and proves to be a tougher opponent.

Calipari provided an update on Wallace just before tip-off, saying the guard “looked pretty good” in practice on Friday. No final decision has been made on whether or not Wallace will get a start, with the health of Sahvir Wheeler having an injury problem himself.

“He practiced yesterday,” Calipari said. “He looked pretty good. He & Sahvir, I’m not sure which way I’m going to start bc I want the game to be fast and I want to be disruptive on defense. I’m thinking I may start Sahvir but if he’s limping then I may go the other way.”

Wheeler made a huge impact on the win against Ole Miss, even if he only recorded four points. The point guard added nine assists and four rebounds — making his return to the starting lineup. With Wallace good to go, Wheeler will return to the bench but will continue to come off the bench.

In 21 appearances this season for Kentucky, Wallace has averaged 11.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. He is a huge addition back to the lineup, especially as the Wildcats continue to trend in a positive direction in the SEC.

Cason Wallace excelling in freshman year at Kentucky

Wallace played high school basketball at Richardson (TX), where he was a five-star prospect. He was the No. 8 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Expectations were high for Wallace when arriving in Lexington, getting to start right away under Calipari. He has done more than fit up to the billing, especially on the defensive end. As Kentucky continues to ascend this season, Wallace will be a huge part of the equation. Getting back on the floor against Florida is the first step.

NBA scouts love Wallace as well, with him expected to be a lottery pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. He will be just the latest to do so under Calipari, adding to an extensive list of Kentucky players at the next level.