ESPN’s Jeff Borzello has UK guard Cason Wallace among his “Best of the Best” rookies this year in college hoops. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Florida A&M coach Robert McCullum watched UK freshman guard Cason Wallace score a career-high 27 points and dish out nine assists in a 20-point win over his team but was most impressed that he was a “two-way player” for the Cats.
“To find a young player — a freshman — that plays that way on both ends is really impressive. Normally, for young players, it takes a while to get them to buy in on defense, but he plays on both ends,” McCullum said.
“He can hurt you in so many ways offensively. He can get to the basket, he can get his shot off the dribble, and he can catch and shoot. Then you look at his size. Small guards are going to have a lot of difficulty trying to guard him.”
Wallace hit five 3-pointers against Florida A&M but he also had four steals to demonstrate his two-way ability.
Wallace said he actually went into the game with a “different mindset” to get to the basket more instead of shooting 3-pointers that led him to being more aggressive.
“The 3’s had started falling so I kind of fell in love with it but getting back to that old feel and getting open shots (felt good),” Wallace said after the Florida A&M win.
Wallace came back with 19 points and hit five 3-pointers when he could not get to the basket in UK’s loss at Missouri Wednesday.
Wallace was one of 10 freshmen ESPN’s Jeff Borzello singled out as the “Best of the Best” rookies this year in college hoops.
“He doesn’t have the big numbers of some of the other freshmen on this list, but Wallace has been one of the best two-way first-year players in the country — and more prolific outings appear to be coming,” Borzello wrote. “Observers have been calling for John Calipari to give Wallace more freedom.”
