Ranking the 10 best lockdown defensive prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft
By Rowan Kent
Best Defensive Player #6: Cason Wallace, Kentucky
The litany of talented guards that have stopped in Lexington, Kentucky for their freshman season before starring in the NBA is as impressive as anything else John Calipari has ever done. While Cason Wallace clearly looks like he’ll fit into this group this year, he’s done it in a way that’s distinctly different than prior Wildcats.
Wallace makes his money on the defensive end, locking up opposing guards with great technique, lightning-quick feet, and aggressive hands that generate steals without drawing fouls. Wallace knows how to use his length and body at the right time to disrupt what opponents want to do, earning him a bevy of transition opportunities off of his own steals:
This play is a great summary about Cason Wallace defensive activity. He deflects the ball two times and on the third one he collects the steal and the fast break bucket. pic.twitter.com/nJpsMnT3Um
— Francesco Semprucci (@fra_sempru) December 22, 2022
What drops down Wallace to sixth in these rankings isn’t about his actual defensive abilities. In the NBA, he’ll step in and be able to give all but the best guards fits on defense. Instead, because he’s a point guard defender who is best used at the point of attack, Wallace’s overall impact on the defensive end is lower than the players above him.