The NBA future of John Wall is questionable at 32 years old. Bouts with injuries in recent years have limited his play. This season ended with the former Washington Wizards star not on an NBA roster.
Now, the five-star All-Star is drawing interest overseas. According to Michael Randall of Code Sports Phoenix, the South Melbourne East Phoenix of the Australian NBL hopes to lure Wall. The club is looking for “an elite import point guard” and believes Wall fits the bill.
Interestingly enough, Wall has a minority stake in the club and has close ties to majority owner Romi Chaudhary.
John Wall was the franchise player for the Wizards for ten years after being selected as the 2010 No. 1 overall draft pick. In addition to his All-Star Game appearances, Wall made the All-Rookie Team, All-NBA, and All-Defensive Team.
His accolades earned him a supermax contract ($170 million over four years) following an impressive run during the 2016-17 season in which he led the Wizards to one game away from the Eastern Conference Finals. Unfortunately, Wall’s career derailed after a series of injuries highlighted by a ruptured Achilles during the 2018-19 season.
The injury kept him off the floor for two calendar years. Before he returned to the Wizards for the 2020-21 season, Wall got traded to the Houston Rockets in a package for Russell Westbrook. A viral video of Wall throwing up gang signs contributed to trade.
Wall averaged 19.0 points, 9.2 assists, and 1.7 steals in nine seasons with the Wizards. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in assists and steals and is fourth in scoring.
In his first season in Houston, Wall averaged 20.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 1.1 steals in 40 games. But injuries forced the Rockets to shut him down. The following year, Wall sat out the entire season after disagreeing with the Rockets’ management over his role with the team.
Eventually, the Rockets bought out his contract, allowing him to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers this season. Wall appeared in 34 games and averaged career lows of 11.4 points and 5.2 assists before the Clippers offloaded him in a trade back to the Rockets before the trade deadline. Houston once again bought him out and sent him to free agency.
The landscape of the NBA has altered. Point guards are expected to spot up for threes more often than dribble penetration. It’s a role Wall struggled to fit with the Clippers. Thus, his place in the NBA, as it stands, is questionable.
Will Wall test the waters in the NBA free agency? Or will he want to secure a chance to play and be a main draw Down Under? Wall has made his fair share of money, so money shouldn’t be an object. It comes down to if he still wants the thrill of playing basketball.
