John Wall

At 33 years old, John Wall has this physical status:

Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr. (born September 6, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

A Raleigh, North Carolina native, Wall was chosen with the first overall pick of the 2010 NBA draft by the Wizards after playing one year of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.

Wall plays the point guard position and is a five-time NBA All-Star.

He was named to his first All-NBA Team in 2017.

Early life

Wall was born on September 6, 1990 to Frances Pulley and John Carroll Wall Sr. When he was a year old, his father, who had previously served time in prison for second-degree murder, was convicted of armed robbery. Wall Sr. was released from prison on August 24, 1999, but died of liver cancer a month later at age 52. Wall's older half-brother, John Carroll Wall Jr., promised at their father's funeral to take care of the family, but was incarcerated the next year and released in 2018.

Throughout Wall's childhood, his mother worked multiple jobs to support him, his sister, Cierra, and his half-sister, Tonya.

The death of his father caused Wall to frequently reject the authority of adults and act up, occasionally fighting, mostly in middle school. He was cited for breaking and entering as a teenager.

Wall played for two AAU basketball teams, first Garner Road and then D-One Sports.

Personal life

In 2013, after signing a five-year contract with the Wizards, Wall purchased a home in Potomac for $4.9 million. The two-acre property, which has eight bedrooms, six garages, and 17,980 square feet, was selected to accommodate Wall's mother, siblings, and guests.

In 2016, Wall received the Stewart B. McKinney Award for his work to end homelessness after he donated $400,000 to Bright Beginnings.

Wall signed a five-year endorsement deal worth $25 million with Reebok in 2010, then moved to Reebok's parent company Adidas in 2013. He signed another five-year deal with Adidas in 2018. In May 2017, Wall signed on as a brand ambassador for New Era caps.

Wall and his wife have one son.

Wall said in 2018 that he was pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration.

Wall's mother, Frances Pulley, died of breast cancer on December 13, 2019.

Wall apologized via Twitter in September 2020 after a video surfaced on social media of him using Bloods gang signs and displaying a red bandana to the camera.

Source

High school career

Wall played his first two years of high school basketball at Garner Magnet High School in Garner, North Carolina. His family and I went to Raleigh, where he recapped his sophomore year at Needham B. Broughton High School, in his second season. Despite a great success, Wall was barred from the school's varsity staff for attitude-related problems. He attended Word of God Christian Academy, which is also in Raleigh, for this reason. It was there that Wall began to think about the changes in his attitude and other pertinent topics. Coach Levi Beckwith began working with Wall, first to stop demeaning his teammates for late layups and later on, to develop his facial expressions and general demeanor.

Wall was admitted to the prestigious Reebok All-American Camp in Philadelphia in the summer of 2007; there, he distinguished himself by scoring 28 points against a team that featured future lottery pick Brandon Jennings.

Wall scored ten points and claimed co-MVP honors alongside Dominic Cheek, Maalik Wayns, and Lance Stephenson in 2008.

Wall averaged 19.7 points, 9 assists, and over 8 rebounds for Word of God Christian Academy in 2009, and was voted one of the best high school basketball players in the class of that year. He led the Holy Rams basketball team all the way to the North Carolina Class 1A state championship, but not before that school's Ian Miller hit a 40 foot game-clinching jump shot at the buzzer. In the competition, Wall scored 11 points. He was selected to attend the 2009 Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon; he scored 13 points to go along with 11 assists and 5 steals at the high-profile event. He was also selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic at Madison Square Garden this year, where he notched 6 assists.

College career

Wall was first recruited by the University of Kentucky, Duke University, Georgia Tech, and University of Kansas, and then announced their admission to the University of Kentucky on May 19, 2009. He was suspended from Kentucky's first exhibition game and first regular season game for travel assistance from his AAU coach Brian Clifton, a licensed agent at the time. The freshman point guard led his team to victory with 27 points and 9 assists in 28 minutes as a Wildcat in his first game as a Wildcat in an exhibition game against Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Wall made the game-winning shot against Miami University in his first appearance at Kentucky against Miami University, earning him the championship win over the #5 ranked Kentucky team. He had 19 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.

Wall held the Kentucky single-game assist record with 16, 11 in the first half of 2009, with only 1 turnover. Travis Ford held the record for 15 years before it was broken on Ford's 40th birthday. For the first time in his college career, Wall scored 9 points, failing to break double digits.

On September 22, 2017, Wall was inducted into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Wall was a fifth-year high school senior in 2009 and would have turned 19 by the year's end, according to several outlets, he would have been eligible for the 2009 NBA draft. According to league rules, American players must turn 19 during the year of the draft and be a year removed from their regular high school class. Tim Frank, the league's spokesperson, told sportswriter Chad Ford that the league was not sure whether Wall met the second criteria and that league officials would have to "do [their] due diligence to determine their eligibility." Wall revealed in April 2009 that he was not entering the 2009 NBA draft, where he had been supposed to be the first player chosen and would instead attend Kentucky.

Wall announced on April 7, 2010 that he will forego his last three seasons of college eligibility and enter the 2010 NBA draft, where he was expected to be the first overall pick for the Washington Wizards. Dan Fegan, Wall's agent, was signed on May 3.

Reebok announced Wall as its new signing on June 23, 2010, casting him as the face of the company's new basketball shoe, the ZigTech Slash. The Wizards selected Wall as the first overall pick by the Wizards on June 24, 2010. Mayor Adrian Fenty of Washington, D.C., declared John Wall Day on a plaque given to Wall by the Wizards presser on June 25, 2010.

Wall was voted the Most Valuable Player of the 2010 Las Vegas Summer League, with a score of 23.5 points, 7.8 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.5 steals in 32.3 minutes per game. In a 112–83 loss to the Orlando Magic, Wall made his NBA debut on Sunday. He had 14 points, 9 assists, and 3 steals. He tied a franchise record of nine steals in his third game and became the first NBA player to have at least nine assists in each of his first three games. Wall made his first triple-double in his career on November 10, with 19 points, ten rebounds, and 13 assists, as well as 6 steals and only 1 turnover. Wall was the third NBA player to record a triple-double. During the 2011 All-Star Weekend, John Wall was named the 2011 Rookie Game MVP. Wall was also named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month from January–April and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind unanimous pick Blake Griffin and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

During the 2011–12 lockout season, Wall will play in and start all of the Wizards' 66 games. He was selected to compete in the NBA All-Star Weekend Rising Stars Challenge. He was drafted to play for Team Chuck, a combination of rookies and sophomores, and he was drafted to play for the team Chuck. Wall finished the season with 16.3 points, 8.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Because of a knee injury, Wallis missed the 2012–2013 season. In a Wizards victory over the Atlanta Hawks on January 12, he returned against the Atlanta Hawks, scoring 14 points. On March 18, Wall was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played between March 11 and March 17. In a road game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 22, Wall scored 24 points and a career-high 16 assists. Wall scored a career-high 47 points on March 25, as part of a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, while still 7 rebounds and 8 assists. Wall ended the season with averages of 18.5 points, 7.6 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game.

On July 31, 2013, Wall, who was branded by the Wizards as a designated player, signed a five-year contract extension worth about $80 million.

Wall's second double-double in a 111-113 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics on January 22, 2014, with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Wall was chosen as an East reserve for the 2014 NBA All-Star Game, making this his first All-Star team appearance. After supporters voted him the Dunker of the Night during All-Star Weekend, he became the first in Washington to win the Slam Dunk Contest in Washington history. The Wizards' mascot gave his final slam a reverse slam. The Wizards defeated the Raptors 134-129 on February 27, 2014, with 31 points and 9 assists. It was the franchise's first triple-overtime game since 1975. In a 122-103 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on March 1, 2014, Wall recorded a career-high 16 assists, as well as 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.

The Wizards finished as the fifth seed in the East and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in six years as Wall averaged 19.3 points, 8.8 assists, and 4.1 rebounds on the season. In their first round playoff match-up, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Chicago Bulls 4 games to 1 on their first round playoff match-up. In the second round to the Indiana Pacers in six games, after defeating the Bulls, Wall, and the Wizards.

In a 133-132 double-overtime victory over the Boston Celtics on December 8, 2014, Wall scored 26 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and a then career-high 17 assists. Wall dedicated the victory to his close friend, Damiyah Telemaque-Nelson, who died of cancer earlier this day. Didn't she mean a lot to you when asked by a reporter? He collapsed and started to cries, and I burst out. He later gave her family all of his clothing, including his shoes, which had Damiyah's name on them. In a 109-95 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, he tied his career-high of 17 assists, as well as 21 points. After receiving 886,368 votes, he was named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2015 NBA All-Star Game, earning his first playing gig.

In a 113-97 victory over the Sacramento Kings, Wall tied his season-high of 31 points while adding 12 assists. In a 101–87 victory over the New York Knicks, he scored 6 points and a then career-high 18 assists. As the Wizards defeated the Toronto Raptors 117–106 to take the lead in their first-round playoff series, he set a record for assists with 17 points on April 21, a new Wizards franchise record for assists with 179. The Wizards went on to win the series with a 4–0 sweep, but the Atlanta Hawks lost in second round matches to the Atlanta Hawks in six games.

The Wizards began losing six games in the first ten games between November 24 and November 28. Since losing to that losing stretch, Wall averaged 15.0 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, although only 33% of the field shot. In a 97-85 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, breaking the Cavaliers' 9–0 streak at home to start the season and snaping the Wizards' four-game losing streak. Wall scored a then-high 35 points, 10 assists, and 5 steals on December 1, snaping the Cavaliers' 9–0 undefeated streak at home to begin the season. "Every team is aiming to make me make jump shots this year," Wall said after losing to the basket. I got into a rhythm early, and it helped us get going." Wall's shooting percentage in the first 14 games of the season was a career low (.390), as did his 16.1 point average. Wall continued his career back-to-back 30-point, 10-assist game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, scoring 34 points and 11 assists in his first game since losing to the Los Angeles Lakers.

In a 113-99 victory over the Sacramento Kings, Wall had 12 points and a career-high 19 assists. Wall recorded his seventh straight double-double and 17th of the season on December 30, in a loss to the Toronto Raptors. In 16 December games, he averaged 22.6 points and 11.7 assists. He then received NBA Player of the Month awards for December. He had a season-high 36 points, 13 assists, and 7 steals against the Boston Celtics on January 16, but the Wizards lost 119-117, but he missed a potential tying layup at the buzzer. In a 134–121 loss to the Golden State Warriors on February 3, he hit his season-high record on February 3, scoring 41 points. In a 106-94 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, he recorded his fourth career triple-double, with 18 points, a career-high 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. In a 109–89 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on February 23, he recorded his second triple-double of the season and fifth of his career, with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. In a 117-96 victory over the Chicago Bulls, he registered his third triple-double of the season on March 16, with 29 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. In a 99-94 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, he registered his second straight triple-double with 16 points, 14 assists, and 13 rebounds.

Wall was rested in his second of back-to-back night games in the 2016-2017 season as a way of restricting his minutes following off-season surgery on both knees. On November 7, Wall set a new record (32,822) for career assists against the Houston Rockets. In a 106-101 victory over the Phoenix Suns on November 21, he scored 18 points, a then-high 15 assists, and three blocked shots. His minutes restriction was lifted by late November. In a 124-116 loss to the Orlando Magic on December 6, he scored a career-high 52 points. He started 18-of-31 from the field and gave eight assists. On December 14, Wall became Washington's franchise leader in thefts, beating Greg Ballard (772). In a 107-102 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on December 26, he had 18 points and a then-high 16 assists. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, December 26 to Sunday, January 1. He led the Wizards to a 3–0 week while still scoring 24.3 points (eighth in the East), an NBA-leading 13.0 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.67 steals (second in the East). He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December a day later.

In a 112–105 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 6, 2017, Wall had 18 points and a season-high 18 assists. He was named an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game later this month. In an 112–108 victory over the Golden State Warriors on February 28, 2017, he tied his career high with 19 assists. In a 125-124 overtime victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on March 11, 2017, he scored 39 points. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Monday's March 6 to Sunday, March 12. The Wizards were off to a 4–0 week, with all of Washington's victories coming on the road. While adding 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals, he led the East in scoring (29.8 ppg) and assists (11.3 apg). In a 112–107 victory over the Chicago Bulls on March 17, he set a new career record with 20 assists to go with 14 points. In a 139–115 loss to Golden State on April 2, Wall had 15 points and 11 assists. As a result, he set the single-season franchise assists record of No. 1 at No. In the third quarter, the 802 reached 802 for the third quarter, beating Rod Strickland's record of 801.

Wall beat the Atlanta Hawks 114–107 in Game 1 of their first-round series on April 16, scoring a playoff career-high 32 points in a 114–107 win. Wall scored 42 points in Game 6 of the season on April 28, assisting the Wizards in defeating the Hawks by a 115–99 victory, capturing the first-round series 4–2. Since winning the Wizards a 92-91 victory over the Boston Celtics on May 12, he helped the Wizards prevent elimination and force Game 7 in their second-round series. He was ranked 26 points in the game. Despite Wall's 18 points and 11 assists in Game 7, the Wizards then bowed out of the playoffs with a 4-3 loss.

Wall announced a four-year, $170 million contract extension with the Wizards on July 26, 2017. Because of a knee injury in late November and early December, Wall missed nine games; the Wizards went 4–5 in that time. Against the Milwaukee Bucks on January 6, he had 16 points and a season-high 16 assists. In a 125-119 victory over the Orlando Magic, he scored 30 points, becoming the youngest player (27 years, 128 days) to reach 10,000 points for his career. In the Wizards' 119-113 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, he scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half and overtime, as well as tied for his season high with 16 assists. He was ruled out for the next six to eight weeks due to his unresponsive left knee that needed surgery on January 30, 2018. In a 107–93 victory, he missed two months due to his illness, including 15 points and 14 assists. In a 113-101 victory over the Boston Celtics on April 10, he had 29 points and 12 assists, thus far surpassing 5,000 career assists. Wall scored 28 points and 14 assists in Game 3 of the Wizards' first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors, bringing the series's deficit to 2–1. In Game 4 of Wall Street, the Wizards won by 106-98, with 27 points and 14 assists, tying the game's tie at 2–2. Despite Wall's 23 points and eight assists in a 102–92 loss in Game 6, the Wizards went on to lose the series in six games.

Wall defeated Wes Unseld in a 135–131 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets on November 26, 2018, finishing third in third place on the franchise career scoring list. In a 128-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on December 16, he scored 40 points and 14 assists. With a left heel injury, he was out for the remainder of the season until December 29. Wall first had an infection in the incision from that surgery in January 2019, but he recovered and collapsed in his house after suffering a ruptured left Achilles tendon. He was then banned for a year.

The 2019-20 NBA season was suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020. Despite the season's revival in Orlando, Florida, which met Wall's 12-month timetable of recovery, he did not travel with the Wizards, effectively ending his season.

Russell Westbrook and his 2023 lottery-protected first-round pick were traded to the Houston Rockets on December 2, 2020. Wall scored 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 117-99 victory over the Toronto Raptors on March 22, 2021, snaping the team's 20-game losing streak. It was his first triple-double since 2016. After suffering a grade 2 hamstring strain, Wall was ruled out for the remainder of the season.

As the team was rebuilding and training young guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green, Wall and the Rockets came to a mutual decision not to play. The Wall and the Rockets announced a labor buyout deal on June 28, 2022.

Wall signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on July 8, 2022. In a 102-97 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, Wall made his preseason debut with the Clippers on October 3, putting up five points, one rebound, and three assists. In a 103-97 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, he made his regular season debut with the Clippers, scoring five points, four rebounds, and three assists.

National team career

Wall was selected as a member of the United States camp roster in July 2014 to compete for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup team. Wall withdrew his name from contention for USA Basketball's 2016 Rio Olympics team as a result of off-season knee surgery.

Source