Cason Wallace DPOY Odds Skyrocket With Recent Feat

Wallace Has Been a Standout Defender this Season

After capping off a championship campaign with OKC, Wallace has been a man on a mission. From being one of the pivotal defensive combos with Alex Caruso, he is now a pillar of the Oklahoma City defense. Many have fallen victim to this defensive scheme last year, and it has even improved now more than ever. They have a rating of 103.6 per 100 possessions, which is 7.0 better than the next team on the list. Wallace, for what it’s worth, represents a huge chunk of that success.

One of the biggest reasons why the Cason Wallace DPOY hype is coming alive is because of his steals. Wallace is third in the league in steals per game (2.2) and second in total steals (46). He is also third when it comes to deflections (5.0 per game). That’s quite on-par with last year’s DPOY runner-up Dyson Daniels, who led the league in steals last season. But what makes Wallace special is the ability to play off the ball.

The fact that he has 46 steals and 52 assists so far in 21 games for the Thunder is stunning. This generational defense by OKC is not a thing without Cason Wallace. And if you’re wondering about the DPOM honors, Holmgren and Lu Dort were also nominated for the award. That alone shows you how big this defensive team is to begin with.

Cason Wallace Continues to Improve His Level of Play

As much as there are drastic improvements for players who become stars, Wallace may be content with his role. After all, who doesn’t want to anchor one side of the best defense in league history?

Wallace is averaging 8.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game this season. Sure, he isn’t a big hitter as Ajay Mitchell suddenly became this season, but he’s definitely playing his part. Players like Dort and Caruso don’t need to score big to be vital to the Thunder’s success, and yet Wallace is somehow enjoying the best of both worlds. He is fitting seamlessly with the team, and it cannot be denied that he is looking to be a franchise piece as well.

We have seen how Sam Presti has managed this team well with a flurry of trades over the years, and Wallace is a product of that. He was a draft night trade by the Thunder, and look how much of a steal he’s become since then. This year is a major leap for Wallace, and he is expecting to see bigger strides in the next 60 games for the team.

What to Expect From Cason Wallace?

Getting Defensive Player of the Month honors is a good case to let Wallace enter the DPOY odds, too. He is slowly building his resume of being one of the Thunder’s defensive-minded players. Sure, some will have doubts about the 22-year-old. But at this rate, he may even end up becoming an All-Defense selection for OKC. On top of that, he may even have the last word on the DPOY race if he continues this level of play, potentially contesting the likes of Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama for the said award.

Should Wallace keep up the same momentum, there’s indeed a high chance that he can break through and come a surprise finalist for the DPOY in the long run.