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Washington Wizards point guard John Wall took a dramatic tumble out of the top-15 in ESPN's Top-100 rankings, now ranked as the 32nd-best player heading into the 2018-19 season.
Wall was previously in the 15th spot during last year's rating but slid due to a nagging history of injuries and yet another quick playoff exit.
The curators of this list gave a brief explanation of why his stock dropped out of the creme de la creme of the NBA world.
“He's quick. He's nearly an unstoppable scorer. He is, in Washington, the franchise. So why does this season feel crucial for John Wall?
That happens when you get bounced in the first round of the playoffs; register career lows in scoring, assists and shooting percentage in an injury-plagued season; and at season's end urge management to weed out malcontents. Management obliged Wall, making a few lineup tweaks. Now it's vital that Wall demonstrates leadership, because improving in that area will carry more weight in making the Wizards a serious contender than his return to being a high-volume scorer.”
Make no mistake, Wall is still an elite point guard, but one that will need to prove himself after getting several upgrades in the offseason, including Dwight Howard; the athletic big man he had clamored for, and Austin Rivers, a capable backup guard that can keep up with his production at the offensive end.
If the Raleigh native can remain healthy for the majority of the season, he could quickly prove this ranking wrong by becoming a 20-10 threat on a nightly basis.
