Cason Wallace models game after new teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Cason Wallace wore No. 22 on his jersey during his lone season at Kentucky. As he begins his NBA career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he’ll hold onto that number. But what’s more interesting is that another recent UK guard drafted in the lottery also wore No. 22 during his one year in Lexington. That was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who, following Thursday night’s NBA Draft, is now set to team up with Wallace in OKC for the foreseeable future.

But that’s not the only connection between these two former Wildcats. Wallace actually models his game after Gilgeous-Alexander, who made First Team All-NBA in 2022-23 — just his fifth NBA season. During the pre-draft process (long before he knew he’d land with the Thunder), Wallace said as such, mentioning that he likes the way Gilgeous-Alexander “plays with pace, creates his own shot, and looks like a team player to me.”

SGA is coming off easily his best season in the NBA so far, putting up averages of 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.6 steals in 35.5 minutes per game on shooting splits of 51.0/34.5/90.5. He was a first-time All-Star and even received the fifth-most MVP votes.

Not a bad player for Wallace to try and replicate, eh?

Cason Wallace on who he models his game after:

“Shai Gilgeous-Alexander” pic.twitter.com/LTWw6zyl1F

— 𝘿𝙐𝙁𝙁𝘼𝙇𝙊 (@Duffal0) June 23, 2023

Wallace was taken No. 10 on Thursday in the 2023 NBA Draft while SGA went No. 11 in 2018. There were also reports that Wallace was wearing some of SGA’s shoes during pre-draft workouts. To add on, Wallace stated weeks ago during the NBA Combine that Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player in the NBA right now. On a semi-sour note, they both were part of UK teams that were knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by Kansas State.

Gilgeous-Alexander is slightly taller at 6-foot-6 than the 6-foot-4 Wallace, but Kentucky fans that have watched them play over the years can see the comparison. Both players aren’t going to be the most athletic on the hardwood, but they will be the toughest to try and speed up or slow down and know how to defend on the perimeter. They play at their own pace and dictate through their own terms how the game flows. SGA has mastered this at just 24 years old; Wallace, still only 19, will have the perfect guide to hopefully do the same down the road.

The two even shared similar statistics from their brief time in Lexington. In ’22-23, Wallace averaged 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.0 steals in 32.2 minutes per game for UK while shooting 44.6 percent overall, 34.6 percent from three, and 75.7 percent from the free-throw line. During the ’17-18 campaign with the ‘Cats, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 14.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals in 33.7 minutes per game while shooting 48.5 percent overall, 40.4 percent from three, and 81.7 percent from the line. Both were tabbed to the SEC All-Freshman Team during their respective seasons, as well.

This sure seems like a match made in basketball heaven. Now, they’ll share the backcourt together in OKC.