John Wall was an NBA star, but now his worst nightmare is coming true. #nba
He was the #1 pick in 2010, a 5 time All-Star, multiple seasons averaging over 10 assists a game and being one of the fastest players in the NBA. He was an All-NBA point guard, a cultural icon but now John Wall has been bought out twice, rode the bench while fully healthy, and teams don’t want him.
Well it seems like his worst nightmare is coming true. Wall’s been running his mouth lately saying his team would have beat LeBron and the 2017 Cavs, talking about the Rockets having bad habits, but why don’t teams want Wall because it’s an ugly truth.
And once Wall got into the league, he was immediately one of the better point guards in the NBA. Wall became just the second player EVER to record at least nine assists in his first three games. And just a week after that, he recorded his first-ever triple-double. He averaged 16.4 points and 8.3 assists in his rookie year.
His numbers proved his rank as one of the best point guards in the NBA, even though he was still in his early twenties. Wall’s number got better and better, but the Wizards weren’t.
They were 23-59 in his rookie season, 20-46 the season after, and 29-53 in his third.
Even though Wall was somewhat injury prone in his first couple of seasons and the Wizards routinely failed to make the playoffs, they still handed Wall a brand-new $80 million contract
In the following 2014 season, Wall won the Slam Dunk Contest, played in his first-ever NBA All-Star Game and got the Wizards to the playoffs with a 44-38 record. Bradley Beal came into his own, Wall was averaging 19.3 points, 8.8 assists, 43% from the field. Maybe that goes over your head in today’s era where we have about 40 20+ point per game scorers, but Wall was 19th in scoring and 2nd in assists.
So...suddenly, the Wizards’ management looked like a bunch of geniuses, locking up Wall long-term. And to add to the fact, Wall kept getting better, all defensive team in 2015, SO much better that 2016 came and proved by FAR as Wall’s best season in the NBA.
While Wall wasn’t able to lift Washington far enough to face the Cavs in the 2017 playoffs like he recently said he’d wanted, he was just minutes away from reaching the Conference Finals averaging 27 and 10 on 45% from the field in 13 games.
He scored 42 points to close out the Hawks. He hit a game winner in Game 6 against the Isaiah Thomas Celtics. Yeah and it seemed like Wall was only on the up. His first 7 seasons of the NBA had him slated to becoming one of the best point guards in the NBA. But it was the beginning of the end…What if I told you that after having the year of your CAREER, playing in 78 games and making the All-NBA team, AND topping things off by inking a new four-year, $170 million supermax...Wall would fall because he suddenly started experiencing discomfort in his left knee to open the 2017-18 season and started getting what’s called PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections to reduce inflammation and pain in his knee. He initially missed three weeks while nursing his knee but opted to get the knee operated on, hoping that it wouldn’t become something chronic or potentially career-threatening.
And because of that, Wall would go on to miss two months before returning in late March. It was obviously an injury-plagued year for Wall, still an All-Star, but the Wizards dropped off.
Wall was traded into an organization trying to develop some young players and dealing with some guy who was noticeably out of shape... ***cough*** umm, yeah
**The Rockets did something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before**, pay a guy to stay AWAY from the team. $47 million to be exact. Tanking taken to a whole other level. Wall didn’t play a SINGLE minute during the 2021 season. All we saw was Wall auditioning for some red carpet with all the drip he had going on with his outfits sitting on the bench.
The Rockets needed a vet, but didn’t want Wall to get involved. The Rockets still need a vet.
But, I guess the Rockets did him a solid by paying him his money and allowing his body to fully heal up. On June 28 of last year, Wall reached a buyout with the Rockets and would, of course, go on to sign with the Clippers two weeks later.
Paul George was excited to welcome his new teammates and Kawhi, well, he didn’t really say anything but then again, it’s pretty normal for him.
And then, he had an abdominal injury that kept him out for 14 games before he got bought out.
**Does John Wall deserve to be on a team? Yeah**, if he’s able to average 11 and 5 right now, he should. But his role is going to be diminished. And if Wall is ok with that, then yeah, but if he’s not as he’s indicated over his career, then it’s time to move on.
