Cason Wallace was a pivotal piece off the bench for the OKC Thunder, helping them win the 2025 NBA championship, their first title since moving to the city. Even at 21, Wallace played a key role on both ends of the floor, becoming one of OKC’s best three-and-d players throughout their playoff run.
After he soaked in his first NBA title, Wallace revealed some details about his life. In his Instagram post after the championship parade in OKC, Wallace revealed his romance with UCLA women’s basketball player Kiki Rice.
“2x won it year 2 💍🏆,” he captioned.
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Playing for the Bruins in the past three seasons, Rice has been one of their most promising players. In the 2024-25 season, she averaged 12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, building her name as one of the up-and-coming WNBA prospects.
Meanwhile, Wallace, a product of Kentucky, was drafted 10th overall in 2023 and has since been a promising piece in the Thunder’s title run. This season, he averaged 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. The defensive end was his bread-and-butter self as he put up 1.8 steals per game.
In the title-clinching Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Wallace had 10 points and three steals as the Thunder took down the Indiana Pacers 103-91 to win the Championship.
The couple is expected to continue building up their names in their respective careers and maintain their relationship amid their busy basketball schedules.
Thunder's Cason Wallace describes playing in the NBA Finals
Few coaches would play a sophomore in the NBA Finals, much less start them. But not Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, as he fielded second-year player Cason Wallace in the starting lineup for Games 1, 2 and 3 of the Finals.
For the young Wallace, it was an opportunity to perform and show what he can do on the biggest stage of basketball.
“It’s a blessing. You're young, and you’re watching NBA players, and then to be one of those NBA players and start in the NBA Finals, it’s an unbelievable blessing,” Wallace said.
The Thunder eventually changed their starting lineup in the final four games of the series, moving back center Isaiah Hartenstein to replace Wallace. The sophomore guard continued to rack up minutes off the bench to play a key defensive role.
Wallace is now an NBA champion for an OKC team that had the second-youngest squad in NBA Finals history.
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