He was a kid when he entered the NBA. Five years later, he’d admit that at the tender age of 19 he was hardly ready for the rigors of being a professional athlete. Let alone the responsibilities of being an adult. But those five seasons have transformed the budding superstar from Raleigh, North Carolina. Washington Wizards point guard, John Wall, is about the go to the next level.
“I’m trying to get to where I want to be in this league. It all comes with time. Some people jump into the NBA and have success right away. Mine came a little bit later, but I’m cool with that because that’s how it was in my high school career, when I didn’t blossom on the scene until my junior year,” he recently told the Washington Post.
Hailing out of the University of Kentucky, Wall was the #2 overall pick of the Wizards in the 2010 draft. His raw talents were never questioned, but his maturity was often the target of criticism. Fans and national analysts were critical of his choices in self-expression (specifically his “dougie” dance) and labeled him as “cocky” and “overrated.” These attacks came fierce and frequent long before Wall even reached his 21st birthday.
Now entering his sixth season, Wall is set to take the NBA by storm. He’s already been a two time NBA All-Star selection and led his undermanned team to the conference semi-finals twice. Yet, his name is too often omitted when the discussion turns to the best point guards in the league. Wall is now ready to not only silence his once most outspoken critics; he’s out to win over some new fans.
“I’m just going to keep rising.”
When he was asked recently about his individual goals for the upcoming season, Wall had this to say: ““I want to be in the MVP conversation and give myself a shot at being the MVP. That means I need to play well, help my teammates play well, get those guys shots and lead my team to wins.”
Putting his name next to the best all around players in the league, ala Lebron, Durant, James Harden, Stephen Curry … might seem like a big jump for Wall to make. To him, it’s simply the next step.
Wall has steadily raised his game every year since entering the NBA. His rookie season saw him average 16.4 points again while shooting a miserable 40% from the field and less than 30% from behind the 3-point line. He worked on his perimeter shooting and finding better shots (consistently being aggressive to the hoop). Last season, his field goal percentage was over just under 45% with his scoring average up to 17.6, He actually scored nearly two points more per contest the previous season, but last year saw a big step in Wall’s maturity. The decrease in his scoring average was more than offset by his increase in assists.
Last year, Wall made a statement with his play that he might just be the next best pure passing point guard in the NBA. Sure he’s still looking up at Chris Paul, but it’s impossible to not put Wall in the conversation. Raising his assists average per game from 8.8 in ’13-’14 to 10.0 in 14′-15 was a huge step. Besides the psychological power of averaging double digits in assists (which is no small feat), Wall dished out 71 more assists while playing in only 3 more games comparing the two years. That’s a lot more facilitation of the scoring than simply scoring. That’s making his teammates better.
As for justifying those comparisons to Chris Paul? Both players achieved 40 double-doubles which led all guards in the NBA. Wall was second in the league in assists per game and total assists to Paul. The Clippers’ main man might still be top dog, but John Wall is nipping at his heels.
Most importantly for the Wizards and their fans, Wall know he hasn’t reached his peak yet. “I have a lot of room left to grow. I’m nowhere near reaching my full potential. I think I’m still just scratching the surface of how great I can be. I want to keep getting better,” he told Basketball Insiders.
It’s not just on the court where the maturation of John Wall has been displayed. Off court, he’s become a the type of community involved, philanthropic millionaire that the NBA needs to highlight. After signing a max player extension in 2013, a visibly emotional Wall committed to give back $1 million to charities in the greater DC area. And he’s proving to be a man of his word.
According to the Washington Post, Wall recently delivered a check for $400,000 to Bright Beginnings. The organization is a child development center that provides care for homeless children in the D.C. area. His donation will help the organization towards building a much needed second site. The NBA star wasn’t just there to drop off his donation. He spent time, as he has in the past, visiting with students and staff while offering encouragement.
The center’s director, Betty Jo Gaines, was quick to acknowledge the importance of Wall’s contributions. “It is evident that John Wall is sensitive and concerned about the plight of homeless children in DC and he wants these children to succeed.”
And in one of the most touching stories in all of sports last year, Wall formed a friendship with a young fan battling cancer. He helped a dream come true for Miyah Telemaque-Nelson when he arranged for her to meet pop star Nicki Minaj. For anyone still skeptical about his heart, the young girl’s death last December left Wall struggling for words after a game he dedicated in her memory (he honored her with a heroic effort that included 26 points and 17 assists).
While young Ms. Telemaque-Nelson’s story ended there, it wasn’t over for John Wall. He made a sizable donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in her honor. The organization offered to do a big press release announcing Wall’s gift. He declined. It wasn’t about him. He didn’t need the spotlight.
“I just want it to be my family going to support her family,” Wall explained later.
Love him or hate him. Cheer for him or cheer against him. It’s impossible not to notice the changes in John Wall. Five seasons in the NBA has not only brought about a more seasoned all-star caliber player.
It’s delivered a man.