The Oklahoma City Thunder possess multiple intriguing young talents.
Their interesting players extend beyond young stars like Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who form the core alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
During this year’s preseason, several young players have stepped up to showcase their capabilities.
Ousmane Dieng recently earned praise from head coach Mark Daigneault, while rookie Bub Carrington impressed fans with his performances.
The list of developing players includes Cason Wallace, who has shown notable growth and earned specific recognition from Daigneault.
In a recent game against the Charlotte Hornets, Wallace started and recorded 10 points with eight assists.
Those eight assists particularly impressed Daigneault as evidence of Wallace’s development. Despite being classified as a shooting guard, Wallace demonstrated growing capabilities as a ball-handler and playmaker.
“The team’s performed at a high level while he’s been an NBA player, but he’s quietly been developing over that time, you know, and growing. His floor is so high and he’s so impactful,” Daigneault explained.
“It’s sometimes easy to overlook how much better he’s getting, but he is getting better in a lot of ways, and that’s one of them. He’s more comfortable with the ball in his hands,” Daigneault added.
Daigneault on Cason Wallace's 8 assists:
— Nick Gallo (@NickAGallo) October 10, 2025
"The team's performed at a high level while he's been an NBA player, but he's quietly been developing over that time, you know, and growing. His floor is so high and he's so impactful. It's sometimes easy to overlook how much better he's…
Wallace’s year-over-year statistics confirm Daigneault’s evaluation. During his sophomore season last year, he averaged 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, all improvements from his rookie campaign.
The 21-year-old also showed defensive development, averaging 1.8 steals per game last season.
His two-way capabilities earned him increased trust defending opposing stars, demonstrating his value beyond offensive contributions.
If Wallace continues his improvement trajectory next season, he should secure a solid rotation role with substantial minutes.
He averaged 27.6 minutes per game last season, and his expanding skill set positions him for even greater responsibilities as the Thunder pursue championship contention.
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