Cason Wallace stepped into the spotlight Thursday night, earning his first career playoff start in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals for the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

The 21-year-old guard replaced Isaiah Hartenstein in the starting lineup, after OKC had used the same five: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Hartenstein.

At 21 years and seven months, Wallace became the youngest player to start an NBA Finals game since Tyler Herro in the 2020 Finals. 

Wallace, who started 43 games in the regular season, averaged 8.4 points per game. 

He had logged 26 playoff appearances over his first two seasons with OKC, but Thursday marked his first postseason start. Entering the Finals, he had been averaging 5.4 points per game in the playoffs.

His insertion into the starting lineup highlights the Thunder’s flexibility and trust in their young core as they chase their first championship since relocating to Oklahoma City.