2023 NBA Draft: Kentucky basketball’s Cason Wallace chosen by Mavs, traded to OKC

The Dallas Mavericks selected Kentucky’s Cason Wallace with the 10th overall pick in the first round Thursday night in New York.

However, Wallace was traded and will be joining fellow former Kentucky guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

OKC sent the No. 12 pick (Duke’s Dereck Lively II) and a traded player exception to Dallas. The Mavericks got Wallace and Davis Bertans.

Wallace is the 58th first-round draft pick in UK basketball history, and the 35th coached by John Calipari. Kentucky leads all college programs in that category.

“I’m just grateful that I’m here,” Wallace said during his TV interview after his was selected. “I thank God that I’m in this position today. There’s still more to be done.”

Teammate Chris Livingston was the final pick of the draft (58th overall) by the Milwaukee Bucks. Jacob Toppin and Oscar Tshiebwe both went undrafted, though Toppin quickly lined up a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, according to ESPN.

Wallace will be the next Calipari-coached Kentucky guard to try to make his mark in the league, following in the footsteps of players including John Wall, Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Maxey, Tyler Herro, Immanuel Quickley and others.

“It’s definitely expectations for me. Pressure, it just builds diamonds, in my opinion,” Wallace said when asked about following in the legacy of UK guards in the NBA. “Kentucky guards, Kentucky players in general, they get to the league, they stick for a while and Kentucky, they set me up very nicely: Let me play point (guard), let me play wing, I got to display many different talents.”

Wallace also said he’s most looking forward to playing against Murray in the NBA, since Murray is now a defending NBA champion.

Calipari has had a first-round pick in 16 straight years, including all 14 at Kentucky.

“I feel like Cal does a great job at preparing us for the next level, as far as putting in sets and using NBA terminology. They’re slept on, but they go pretty high in the draft, as well,” Wallace said at the NBA combine before turning the question around. “So, are they really slept on?”

Wallace was an All-Southeastern Conference Freshman Team selection after ranking among the league leaders in assists per game (second), assist-to-turnover ratio (fourth) and steals per game (fourth).

Wallace averaged 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game in 32 appearances. He had 17 double-figure scoring games and led the team in steals in 19 contests.

Wallace had 21 points, four assists, two steals and a career-high nine rebounds against Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament in his final game for the Wildcats.

The freshman’s eight steals against Michigan State in the Champions Classic tied for the most in a single game in UK history. He had 21 points, four assists, two steals and a career-high nine rebounds against Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament in his final game for the Wildcats.

“I couldn’t be happier for Cason and Chris,” Calipari said after the draft. “I’m looking forward to seeing Cason make an impact alongside Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) in Oklahoma City and Chris to continue to showcase his growth in Milwaukee. I was disappointed Oscar (Tshiebwe) and Jacob (Toppin) didn’t get drafted but they will have a chance to prove themselves in this league because they’re both guys who will impact winning.”

Wallace will be counted on to help a team immediately on defense.

“(They say) that I have a dog mentality that they want to see,” Wallace said at the NBA combine. “I get after it on defense. …

“It’s just gotta be in you,” he said of the “dog mentality” that allows him to be so good on that side of the ball. “You can’t teach it. That’s just who I am as a person, and it’s always been there, since I was a little one. … I know how to read defenders. When I watch film, I think about how I can be disruptive and beat them to spots. Or how I should go about guarding them.”

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