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John Wall officially announced his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday morning after sharing a heartfelt post on Instagram. Despite not being on the Washington Wizards' roster since the 2018-19 season, the organization managed to acquire a former Kentucky basketball star on the same day Wall retired.
Reports indicate that the Wizards are signing former Kentucky forward Skal Labissiere, according to NBA Insider Chris Haynes. Labissiere, who is 29 years old, should have a chance to compete for a roster spot this offseason. He'll likely be in contention for a backup role as a potential power forward.
“Free agent forward Skal Labissiere has reached an agreement with the Washington Wizards, his agent Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management tells [Chris Haynes].”
Labissiere was in the NBA from 2016 through 2020, playing for the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers during that time. He then took a three-year hiatus away from the league before rejoining the Kings last season. However, Labissiere only played in four games for the Kings last season.
Now, he finds himself in Washington with a new opportunity. The Wizards have an incredibly young roster. So, there is a chance the front office and coaching staff decide to keep him for the 2025-26 campaign, as he brings some experience to the table. At the very least, he can serve as a mentor for some of the young players while the club continues to focus on rebuilding. Or, he could bring competition to the younger guys during the offseason in preparation for the upcoming season.
As for John Wall, he ends his career with 11 years' worth of experience. He spent of which with the Wizards before playing one with the Houston Rockets and one with the Los Angeles Clippers. Wall's career numbers were rather solid, as he averaged 18.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game while owning a 43.0% field goal percentage and shooting 32.2% from beyond the three-point line.
