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The news of John Wall’s retirement came in a terse tweet. After becoming a star in the mid-2010s, the point guard was never the same again, between injury and bad choices.
A short tweet, not even a photo: the NBA’s No. 1 insider Shams Charania announced John Wall’s retirement on Tuesday. At 34, the five-time All-Star had not set foot on an NBA floor since January 2023, and is leaving in total anonymity.
That is in stark contrast to his career. Well, what his prime was. In the mid-2010s, John Wall was a major NBA player. With a flattering reputation after a successful university career at Kentucky, he was selected first choice by the Washington Wizards, who had just put an end to the Gilbert Arenas era and were coming off two hideous seasons (which is why they were awarded the first pick).
A spectacular player with above-average physical qualities, who attacks the rim relentlessly and is also a hell of a passer, averaging over 10 assists for three seasons in a row. Add to that his defensive quality, always quick to intercept, and a real ability to raise his game when the going gets tough (in 2017, for example, he went from 23 to 27 points on average between the regular season and the play-offs), and you have one of the most spectacular players of the 2010s.
At the end of the 2022 season, John Wall negotiated with the Rockets’ board, pocketed his player option and returned to the court. The Los Angeles Clippers, on a mission to win the title (spoiler: it did not happen), jumped at the chance to have a five-time All-Star on the bench. But in a year in the stands, he has lost all of his charm. Estranged from the floor, out of rhythm, no longer physically capable of holding his own, he failed to make any real impact.
His adventure lasted just 34 games (even though he had signed for two years). The Clippers got rid of him before the trade deadline and, to add insult to injury, traded him… to the Rockets, who once again absorbed his contract… and then cut him!
His shadow now hangs over every transfer window. Declarations that he was ready, that he could help a contender. But little by little, his shadow disappeared. Last February, he was moderately optimistic when he visited Draymond Green on his podcast. “I think I’ve got another year, maybe two. I still train every day. I always like to stay ready, work hard…. You never know what can happen, so I’m giving myself another year, next season, to see what happens. If it doesn’t work out, then I’ll be at peace with the idea of quitting.”
Six months later… he quit.
Bad luck, bad decisions, injuries, despite the talent, the show, the incredible level. He retires with five All-Stars and a victory in the Slam Dunk Contest in 2014. No doubt too meagre a record for the Hall of Fame.
We can console ourselves with his highlights, which will nevertheless make us regret this disappointing end to his career. Because in today’s NBA, at the peak of his powers, John Wall would have had his rightful place.
