The LA Clippers signed John Wall this summer, and many are expecting a major return to action for the former Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets guard. The last three years, however, have been anything but easy.

Wall hasn't seen much action on the court over the last few years, whether it was due to injuries, the COVID-19 pandemic, or his NBA team actively tanking and playing the younger players. For Wall, the struggles have come beyond just the basketball court.

Speaking at a recent John Wall Foundation event with the Salvation Army, Wall detailed what the last three years of his life has been like.

“Darkest place I've ever been in,” LA Clippers guard John Wall explained. “At one point in time, I thought about committing suicide. I mean, just tearing my Achilles, my mom being sick, my mom passing, my grandma passed a year later, all this in the midst of COVID and at the same time, me going to chemotherapy, me sitting by my mom taking her last breaths wearing the same clothes for three days straight laying on the couch beside her.

“And I have a great support family behind me. My team, the mother of my kids has been great, my two boys is my motivation for me. I'm looking at all that and I'm like, ‘If i can get through this, I can get through anything in life.' And I don't like to brag about this, seriously. Like everybody goes through something. We're all going through times, nobody's got it easy, but I don't think a lot of peopel could get through what I went through. And to me to get back on top where I wanna be and seeing the fans still want me to play, having the support from my hometown, this important period means a lot. I went to find a therapist. A lot of people think I don't need help I can get through it at anytime, but you gotta be true to yourself and find out what's best for you.”

Wall's mother passed away in December 2019 at the age of 58 after battling with breast cancer. His grandmother passed away not long after. And Wall was going through his Achilles recover this entire time.

He remained steadfast in his wanting to remain with the Washington Wizards, but they traded him to the Houston Rockets for Russell Westbrook. In two seasons, he only played 40 games for the Rockets as they shifted towards their youth.

Now, Wall has joined a Clippers team that's hungry for the first championship in its franchise history.

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“The most important thing for us is like a lot of people say you look good on paper,” Wall said. “A lot of guys, we're at an age in our careers where we just wanna win. Ain't about trying to be the best player, trying to lead the team in scoring, or trying to be MVP. I'm happy to have an opportunity to play basketball again. I think everything I went through and have been through has been a part of God's plan. I feel like he gives his toughest battles to his strongest people, and even though I was in a dark place the last couple years, I'm super excited. You can tell I'm kinda smiling a lot more, all those types of things.

“I try to tell all these young kids it could be taken away at any moment not because you want it to, but that's the plan that God has for you or just what the future may hold. I get an opportunity to play with two great players and the sky's the limit. We had an opportunity to have a mini-camp a couple weeks ago in Santa Barbara and it looked scary, but I don't do all the talking. I let the game do the talking when I get between those four lines.”

Wall hasn't played since April 23, 2021 which, funny enough, came in a home loss against the LA Clippers where he dropped 27 points and 13 assists.