Cason Wallace: The Thunder’s Silent Force Powering a 19-1 Juggernaut
When you think about the Oklahoma City Thunder’s red-hot 19-1 start to the 2025-26 season, names like Ajay Mitchell, Isaiah Joe, and Jaylin Williams naturally jump to the forefront. They’ve been electric, each carving out a distinct role in this team’s early dominance. But while the spotlight shines brightly on those breakout names, there’s another player quietly anchoring this surge-Cason Wallace.
Now in his third year, Wallace isn’t just contributing-he’s thriving. And he’s doing it in a way that doesn’t scream for attention, but absolutely deserves it.
Quiet Numbers, Loud Impact
Wallace has started every game he’s suited up for this season-19 in total-and is posting career highs across the board: 8.9 points, 2.5 assists, and a league-leading 2.3 steals per game. He’s also knocking down 37.5% of his shots from deep, a mark that forces defenses to respect him on the perimeter.
Those numbers might not jump off the page, but Wallace’s game has never been about flash. It’s about substance, and the advanced metrics back that up in a big way.
A Two-Way Tandem Built for the Modern Game
Pairing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the backcourt, Wallace has helped form one of the most effective two-way duos in the league. Together, they lead the NBA in total plus-minus at +181. That’s not just good-that’s elite.
Dig deeper and it gets even better. When Wallace and SGA share the floor, the Thunder are scoring 123.7 points per 100 possessions (91st percentile), forcing turnovers on 18.9% of opponent possessions (97th percentile), and outscoring teams by an eye-popping 18.8 points per 100 possessions (also 97th percentile). That’s the kind of efficiency and defensive disruption that wins playoff series-and maybe more.
Historic Company for a 22-Year-Old
Wallace’s impact isn’t just a one-season fluke. Over the course of his young career, he’s already racked up over 200 steals, 200 made threes, and maintained a field goal percentage north of 45%. That puts him in rarefied air-only Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Jayson Tatum have hit those marks by the age of 22 years and 21 days.
That’s not just trivia. That’s a signal that Wallace is doing things that matter, and doing them early.
Lockdown Defender, Underrated Offense
Wallace currently holds the fifth-best offensive rating on the team at 119.0 (among players with at least 10 games played), which is no small feat on a squad that’s leading the league. But it’s his defense that’s been turning heads around the league.
In consecutive games, he took on Steph Curry and Luka Dončić-two of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the NBA-and held them to a combined 30 points on just 33.3% shooting from the field and 16.6% from three. That’s not just good defense-that’s elite, game-changing defense.
The Thunder’s Ultimate Glue Guy
While the headlines may be reserved for the high-flying scorers and highlight-reel creators, Wallace is the guy doing the dirty work-and doing it at an elite level. He’s the connector, the stabilizer, the defensive tone-setter. He’s the player who makes everything else work.
So as OKC continues to roll through the first quarter of the season with the best record in the league, keep an eye on No. 22. Because while Wallace may not be the loudest voice in the room, his game is speaking volumes.
And if the Thunder are still playing deep into the spring, don’t be surprised if Cason Wallace is one of the biggest reasons why.