FILE – Los Angeles Clippers guard John Wall dribbles during an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
ORLANDO, Fla. — John Wall participated in the G League Winter Showcase last year, trying out in hopes of returning to action.
This year he did the same thing without stepping foot on the court.
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The No. 1 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and five-time All-Star made his broadcast debut this weekend, serving as an analyst for two games at a G League event in Orlando. Although he hasn’t officially retired as a player, he knows the time has come when he has to think about what to do next, and broadcasting clearly appeals to him.
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“I’m always going to be critical of myself,” Wall said. “I can get better and better. I’m learning more and more, but for me it’s basketball, talking about what I love. It’s about being at home and talking to my friends and my kids. It’s what you do when you’re watching it together.
The idea was born in a very simple way. As he watches the game with his friends and kids at home in Miami, it seems they all end up saying the same thing to him.
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“They’re like, ‘Shut up and watch,'” Wall said.
With that in mind, the idea of going to television where talking is encouraged clearly makes sense. He played two games back-to-back on Saturday, with only a 20-minute break between games, essentially broadcasting for five hours straight.
Wall talked about the game like an elite player, breaking down defenses in real time, explaining his mindset, and throwing in some anecdotes. When an Iowa State player took a blow to the mouth during a game against Sioux Falls, Wall took a minute to talk about what it was like to take a similar blow and go straight from the game to the dentist. .
He said he enjoyed the opportunity.
“I came here last year and was training for a few teams,” Wall said. “I was training before the game on the opposite court. That was fun. This was fun.”
Read: Clippers’ John Wall contemplated suicide in ‘darkest place’
Wall is 34 years old, but he still looks healthy, continues to train regularly at the University of Miami, and has said he would do anything for another chance in the NBA. He was selected to the All-Star Game for five consecutive seasons with Washington from 2014 to 2018, despite dealing with several injuries in between, including requiring surgery on both knees in 2016.
But six years ago this week, it was decided that he would undergo season-ending surgery to address a problem in his left heel. He ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2019, requiring an additional year of recovery. He never played for the Wizards again and has been limited to 74 games since playing for Houston and the Los Angeles Clippers.
He could still play too. Wall averaged 16.3 points and 6.1 assists in stints with the Rockets and Clippers. The abdominal strain is the beginning of the end of his tenure with the Clippers, and Wall has not played in a game since January 13, 2023.
“I try my best to take care of myself, but injuries are still part of the game of basketball,” Wall said. “Yes, I think about it. I enjoyed the time we spent. It’s frustrating sometimes. But God never makes mistakes.”
It’s unclear what Mr. Wall will do next. A broadcast gig at a G League event was scheduled for one day, but he’s open to more. In the meantime, he continues to train in Coral Gables and hopes the team will give him another chance.
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“It would mean the world,” Wall said. “You want to go out on your own terms. You want to finish it the way you want it. If you’re going to play your last game, you want to leave the court on your own terms.”
