It only takes one blow to knock off years of hard work and consistency. In the life of athletes, it’s common to come across such stories. John Wall is no different. In an emotional video, the former Wizards cornerstone announced his retirement after 11 seasons in the NBA. “I gave this game everything I had,” he said, leaving the sport peacefully.
But how did this all happen? When Wall came into the NBA, he immediately drew eyes. Being the number one pick didn’t rattle him. Rather, he embraced the spotlight and was key to awakening the Washington Wizards. To this day, his impact paints the walls of that franchise.
The sad part is that it’s only a silhouette. Here’s how it all unfolded.
A glorious start for John Wall
Being drafted number one by the Washington Wizards, there was no doubt about John Wall. He was an explosive guard with incredible defensive tendencies. Showing that off didn’t take much time. In his rookie season, Wall averaged 16.4 points and 8.3 assists, earning All-Rookie First Team honors in 2011.
He didn’t look back from there. In the next few years, the 34-year-old continued to show his prowess. By 2014, he had the Wizards returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Albeit, Wall and the Wizards never made it past the second round. But there was little to fault the point guard.
For five consecutive seasons until 2018, Wall was named an All-Star. His career at this point was soaring. In 2016-17, John Wall led the league in assists while averaging a career-high 23.1 points. His backcourt partnership with Bradley Beal also began flourishing. While at this peak, Wall led the Wizards to four postseason appearances.
But amidst such incredible runs, Wall was dealing with an NBA player’s worst nightmare.
How injuries derailed Wall’s career
Being so explosive and quick came at a steep price for John Wall. From his early days, he had to confront injury troubles. In 2012, he first reported a knee injury, missing 33 games that season. It was followed by surgery on both knees in 2016. By this point, Wall was going steady. He played 78 games in the 2017-18 season.
Everything seemed to be on track until the following year. He had to have surgery on his left knee, limiting him to just 41 games. The following year, he regained himself. John Wall averaged 20.7 points in 32 games before a heel injury requiring surgery ended his season.
But that wasn’t the worst thing to happen to him.
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal, left, center Marcin Gortat, from Poland, guard John Wall, and forward Otto Porter Jr. walk on the court after a timeout during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Friday, Nov. 4, 2016, in Washington. The Wizards won 95-92. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
In February 2019, the Wizards guard was still recovering from heel surgery. A freak fall at home led to a torn Achilles. Right around the time it was announced he would miss the season with his heel ailment, John Wall was ruled out for the entire 2019-20 season. At the age of just 28, the dynamic guard went through the horrors of recurring major injuries.
The Wizards had been by his side. But even they couldn’t do much to help. In December 2020, they traded their ace to the Houston Rockets.
The end of an electric career
Despite suffering from such gruesome injuries, the way John Wall returned made it seem like he was still fresh. The Achilles tear did affect his athleticism. But still, in his one season with the Rockets, Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists. But his efficiency was fast declining. He had his worst shooting performance that season.
Furthermore, injury management always remained in the backdrop. The former number one pick played just 40 games. Based off that, Houston took an executive call. Furthermore, it was the same season James Harden forced a trade to the Brooklyn Nets. It left the Rockets without their prime creator, resulting in a 17-55 record.
It was also the moment their objective shifted. With young pieces such as Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, the Rockets prioritized developing them. Wall was told his time would be limited due to those reasons. The two sides later reached an agreement to sit him down for the entire 2021-22 season as they tried to find a suitable trade.
Jan 26, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard John Wall (1) gestures to the Washington Wizards bench during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Carmen Mandato/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports
Because Wall was still on a $92 million contract for two seasons, it was hard for the Rockets to find a trade. Ultimately, a year later, they reached a buyout with him. John Wall forego close to $6.5 million of his $47.4 million to enter free agency. He then signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, but his decline was evident.
In just 34 games, Wall put up 11.4 points and 5.2 assists. His last game was on January 12, 2023, against the Denver Nuggets, where he scored 17 points. Sadly, an abdominal strain led to him being traded back to the Rockets, where he was waived without ever appearing in a single game.
The next few years, Wall didn’t play any form of professional basketball. He was waiting for any NBA teams to approach him. But that didn’t happen either until finally he decided to hang up the sneakers with nothing left to give to the game.
Looking back at John Wall’s thunderous career, it was one to be proud of. He put the Wizards on the map, making them a force in the East. Most importantly, he was a competitive juggernaut who was well respected by his teammates. Injuries might have drastically shortened his career. But to the NBA purists, Wall was elite. And there’s no two ways about it.
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