As soon as alumni and NBA players Cason and Keaton Wallace walked out of the tunnel of the step team and cheerleaders, the large crowd in the stands immediately started cheering. When they stepped onto the court they used to play on years ago, they both held up their hands to dab up their former basketball coach Kevin Lawson along with the other basketball coaches.

Cason and Keaton visited RHS on February 13 for a ceremony retiring their jersey numbers to honor their success in the NBA and the impact they made on the boys basketball program.

Before the ceremony, they both went to the library for interviews with news outlets and to meet the boys basketball team. Afterwards, they went to the small gym to give autographs to fans.

“It always feels good to be back,” Keaton said. “This is where it all started for us.”

Both brothers wore jersey number 22 in high school which made the moment even more meaningful for them.

“We talked about this since we were kids,” Cason said. “Leaving a legacy and living out our dream.”

Cason currently plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Keaton plays for the Atlanta Hawks. Together, the brothers are part of a small group of athletes who have reached the NBA, a reality they say they value.

“Only about half a percent of people make it to the NBA,” Keaton said. “We don’t take it for granted, and we know how special that is.”

Cason also donated basketball shoes to the varsity players to show his appreciation for the program that helped shape him.

“I wanted to show them that we can see them and we care about them,” Cason said. “They should look good and play good at the same time.”

Lawson said the night was meaningful for him because he wanted to show the brothers how much they are still valued at the school.

“It was really cool to see these guys excelling at the highest level of basketball come back,” he said. “It gave us a chance to show them how much we appreciate them, love them, and support them as a school and as a community.”

Lawson said the brothers’ return reflects the family culture the program works to build.

“Family is always welcome home,” he said. “Whether they go to college or the NBA, they can always come back and we’re going to support them.”

Boys basketball players from the team said the moment felt personal to see a professional player who was once in their shoes come back. Junior Jake Lawson said seeing the brothers return made their success feel real.

“It was really cool getting to see someone who’s kind of like your role model come back,” Jake said. “Seeing them come back and get all that love from the community was really special.”

Jake said the shoe donation stood out to him because it showed the brothers had not forgotten where they came from.

“It inspires me,” Jake said. “Seeing how Cason has all the resources now but still comes back to where he started makes me want to do the same thing when I’m older.”

Freshman jv player Zite Ambrose said watching the ceremony made him think about his own future in basketball.

“It felt inspiring,” Ambrose said. “It made me feel like I want to be there one day.”

Ambrose said seeing someone who once walked the same halls now playing professionally gave him confidence.

“It feels like I can take the same leap he did,” Ambrose said. “I want to keep pushing and live up to that standard.”

While their professional careers brought them recognition, the Wallaces said returning to their high school is just as meaningful. They hope their visit shows current students that success does not have to start in a major city or elite program.

“You don’t have to leave your hometown to reach your dreams,” Keaton said. “You don’t have to go to some big-name school. If you keep working and stay grounded, you can make it wherever you want to go.”

The brothers also said it is important to stay humble and remember where they came from. They credited their family and coaches for keeping them focused on more than just basketball.

“They weren’t worried about rankings or hype,” Keaton said. “They kept me grounded and reminded me to put my character first.”

As they retire their jersey number, the brothers said they are blessed to be able to play in the NBA with each other.

“Not everybody gets to play with their siblings,” Keaton said. “Being able to share a court with him every time is a blessing.”

Cason said coming back to RHS allows him and his brother to be role models for younger athletes who may not see many people from their community reach the professional level.

“When kids don’t see people from their school making it, it’s hard for them to picture themselves doing it,” Cason said. “So coming back shows them it’s possible.”