Cason Wallace has been named to the All-Defensive Second Team. The announcement came as the NBA revealed its All-Defensive selections. Wallace represents the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Thompson Joins Elite Company
Ausar Thompson’s defensive play has resulted in a major achievement in his career. The Detroit Pistons’ forward was named to the league’s All-Defensive First Team for the 2025-26 season. The NBA made the announcement on Friday. Thompson becomes the first Pistons player to receive All-Defensive First Team since Ben Wallace in 2006.
Thompson is joined on the first team by Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves), Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder), Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) and Derrick White (Boston Celtics). Wembanyama won his first career Defensive Player of the Year award for the season. He finished first ahead of Holmgren and Thompson, who finished second and third, respectively.
Thompson’s Standout Season
Thompson earned Defensive Player of the Month honours in January and March. He played in 73 games. He led the league in steals, averaging 2.0 per game. Thompson also ranked second in total steals with 146. He also recorded a total of 69 blocks amid an average of 1.0 rejections per game.
Tobias Harris commented on Thompson’s defensive abilities in March. Harris said, “His reflexes and anticipation skills are great, especially for somebody whose size matches their athletic ability. What he is capable of doing, recovering on plays, is huge for us. What he presents out there, especially when he is really focused on the task, he is a game-changer for us on the defensive end.”
All-Defensive Second Team
The All-Defensive Second Team includes several notable players. Alongside Cason Wallace, the team features Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), OG Anunoby (New York Knicks), Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors), and Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks).
Ausar Thompson’s defensive production has led to what could be considered the greatest individual accomplishment of his three-year career.