The 2023 NBA draft is officially over and the Oklahoma City Thunder ended the night with a pair of new rookies.
In a trade with the Dallas Mavericks, the Thunder acquired Kentucky guard Cason Wallace with the No. 10 pick. At the No. 50 pick, the Thunder drafted Kansas State forward Keyontae Johnson.
Wallace will get a chance to earn rotation minutes right off the bat, as he will likely start the year off the bench. Meanwhile, Johnson will likely spend most of his rookie season on the G League’s OKC Blue as he will likely slide into the new third two-way spot.
Let’s hand out draft grades for both Wallace and Johnson as the Thunder continue to fortify their young roster.
Cason Wallace: B+
This was a sold trade and pick by the Thunder, as they add a solid defensive wing who can score the ball a bit. The biggest concern with Wallace is his on-ball creation skills, but with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams as his teammates, that likely won’t be an urgent need for improvement.
Wallace’s size — 6-foot-4. 193 lbs — helps strengthen his defensive value as a very switchable player whose basketball IQ helps him dissect opposing offenses.
The 3-point shot isn’t a certainty, but the numbers at Kentucky were promising as he shot 34.6% from 3 on four attempts. The 75.7% free-throw shooting is also a good indicator that Wallace will likely turn into a league-average outside shooter.
In terms of his rookie season, Wallace will likely start the season off the bench. After that? Who knows. He’s most likely gunning for Lu Dort’s starting spot — as both players have similar profiles.
Overall, Wallace feels like a safe bet to be a high-end complimentary starter at best or a quality rotation piece at worst. If either outcome materializes, then that’s great value for the No. 10 spot.
Keyontae Johnson: B-
Keyontae Johnson has a pretty cool story as he overcame a health scare, passed up on millions and eventually realized his dream of an NBA player.
In December 2020, Johnson collapsed during a game and was in a medically induced coma for three days. He could’ve accepted an insurance settlement worth millions but instead passed up on it to chase his dream of entering the league.
Johnson was diagnosed with an increase in cardiac mass from systematic training, also known as “Athlete’s heart.” He was cleared to be eligible for the draft despite his heart condition on May 26.
When asked about his health history, Thunder GM Sam Presti said they did their due diligence on the issue.
Now in terms of the player, Johnson played in five college seasons, where he capped off his career at Kansas State for his senior year. In 36 games, he averaged 17.4 points on 51.6% shooting, 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
He’s a bit old and undersized — 6-foot-5, 229 lbs — as a forward. But at pick 50, it’s worth a shot to see if he develops into anything noteworthy.
