Q. Obviously a lot is going to be made about this team defensively. You were top five last year and had some elite defenders. What's it been like as a basketball player about how long it takes to become comfortable playing off of each other defensively?
CASON WALLACE: I feel like playing with each other this summer it kind of helped us out a little bit, but I don't think it will take long for us to all gel together and have a good scheme for each team we play in. As long as we compete together, we'll have a lot of the results that we want.
Q. Have you been able to get with Alex at all this summer, and what do you feel like you're trying to learn from him being in the NBA?
CASON WALLACE: He was out here for a little bit. He's been telling me a lot on the offensive end, teaching me how to elevate my game. If it's coming off of pick-and-roll or getting a switch on a big or something, but he's full of wisdom, and I'm here for it.
Q. Last year offensively -- (indiscernible). What are you looking forward to most this year? I know for Kentucky you played a lot of d-guard reps. What are you expecting (indiscernible)?
CASON WALLACE: I don't really know my situation yet. We haven't gotten together as a team yet and seen how everybody gels together. Whatever my role is this upcoming year, I'm going to play it to the best of my ability, and I'm going to make it work.
Q. You look forward to being on the court with both Lug and Caruso and see how much defensive pressure the three of you can put on the perimeter?
CASON WALLACE: Definitely. I feel like we're a big three of defense I feel like at this point. It will be interesting to see what happens when we all get out there together.
Q. You added weight this off season. Why was that important?
CASON WALLACE: Just knowing what it takes to play at this level. I feel like last year I learned a lot as far as being able to hold my ground if somebody bumps me or if I'm driving and being bumped off of my line. So that's something that I took seriously and worked towards this summer.
Q. Is there anything that you want to show that you didn't get to show last season?
CASON WALLACE: I had a lot of opportunities last year, and I was able to showcase whatever I needed to at the time. Depending on the situations that I believe in next season, I will be able to show what I have.
Q. Anything that you can tell us that you want to share?
CASON WALLACE: I work on everything. You got to work on everything to stay in the league. I'm just elevating my game however the team needs me to.
Q. Take us into a practice. We've gotten all these defenders. All you guys like to get after each other. What's a practice going to be like? What's a pick-up been like with you, Caruso, and Dort and Jalen and a bunch of guys, Shai, that will really get into it? What's that like?
CASON WALLACE: It's fun. It's very high-level basketball, you know. We all compete, and nobody likes to lose. So it's a lot of trash talk going on, but I feel like we're all learning each other and gelling together.
Q. (Off microphone question regarding Shai.)
CASON WALLACE: I haven't played against him this year, so I don't know what he added to his bag yet, but last season it was part of the reason why I wanted to add a little weight for this season.
Last year I came into training camp, and he was bumping me around. So this year he's not going for it. That was part of the work that I put in this summer.
Q. Last year in the playoffs -- (indiscernible). How valuable do you think that's going to be in the long-term as a rookie to go against two of the best individual scorers in the league?
CASON WALLACE: It was big. Last year was a lot about learning the league and learning players and how they like to operate. Now that I have a year under my belt, I kind of know what their go-tos are and some things they tend to do when they're tired or fresh in the game. I feel like I got better for it.
Q. You obviously have a lot of high-level individual defenders, but how does it work to bring everybody together? Ultimately it's about team defense. I know the better parts you have, the better you are likely to be. How do you bring together those great individual defenders to be a great defense?
CASON WALLACE: Competing together. Going in every day to practice or games with the mindset that we're going to be the best version of us for that date.
We all have the high competitive drive to push one another and ourselves. So I feel like it wouldn't be hard to gel together.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports