What's Next for John Wall?
By Paul Jordan
John Wall has experienced so much change throughout his life, moreso in the last two years. He has gone from the top high school senior in the country, to one of the most talented college freshmen of the past decade. But for Wall, the fun is just beginning. His hard work has payed off with him earning the honor of being the top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, just one of the many accolades he’s accumulated in his young but promising career. On his Twitter, he said “it was a dream come true” of his to get to that point. “I was emotional, almost brought tears to my eyes, said Wall when asked about what it meant to walk on stage when he was selected by the Washington Wizards. “A couple years I had to sit back in the room watching LeBron and Derrick Rose and Tyreke and those guys and going up and shaking hands with David Stern means a lot.”
Wall has proved himself talented time and time again while playing in AAU, high school, and at Kentucky. But for him, it’s now time to prove himself for the NBA. The Washington Wizards had a tumoltous season last year. Gilbert Arenas and his off the court issues was something that the Wizards did not need at all, considering they finished with a 26-56 overall record, going 3-13 in their own division. Coach Flip Saunders did not do well at all last season but he still has the potential to reproduce what he did in Detroit if he creates a solid team. For Wall, as well as the rest of the Wizards, this season will be a fresh start.
According to Wall, his situation with Washington is almost the same it was with UK, in that, “like Kentucky, we went in with a new group of guys and I know this is a different level, but I just have to go in and show those guys I’m willing to work and listen as much as I can and be a leader. That’s the key is being a leader and trying to help them win games.” For Wall to be the leader that he wants to be, he will have to earn it with his playing time. What seems to be the question in Washington is can they play with two point guards at once? Will Wall be even able to start? The answer is yes. Wall can and will start. To have a player of his talent and potential to sit on the bench only because he is a rookie or because there are two high calibur point guards is absurd. Even Wall believes they can play together. “I feel like he needs the ball in his hands a lot but he did a great job with the point guard and we both did a great job this year and both have a chance to reach our dreams.”
What the Wizards will probably do is start Wall at point guard and move Gilbert Arenas to the two spot at shooting guard. He is more of a scorer than Wall but he is also more of a combo guard, in the way that Wall is more of a true point guard because of his attributes. So in a way, moving Arenas to the two spot would allow both point guards to show off their respective skill sets. Caron Butler would most likely start at the small forward position, with Blatche and Brandon Hayward starting in the frontcourt. With this lineup, Wall has another scorer and a more experience point guard who could assist him, as well as a talented big man with Hayward.
For Wall, this upcoming season may be a year with another new coach and team, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t experienced this road before. To think Wall will do decent is an understatement. He has the potential unlike the past few rookies to come into the NBA to make a household name for himself. The “John Wall Dance” is about to take the nation by storm this year, and the Nation’s capital is just the first stop.
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