John Wall had a career year last season, as he put up 23 points, 10.7 assists, and 2.0 steals (all new career-highs), leading the Washington Wizards to their best season in decades. Wall was rewarded with a spot in the All-NBA Third team, his very first All-NBA selection.

For the upcoming season, Wall has made it a priority to improve on defense with the goal of making it to the All-NBA Defensive first team. None other than Kobe Bryant issued the challenge of making the All-Defensive first team to the Wizards star, and Wall seems to be all-in on it, as teammate Shelden Mac attested to when he went on the Wizards Tipoff podcast:

“[I've seen it] in the times we've been working out, but we've been playing pickup, too. We've been playing pickup against Kyrie [Irving] Hassan Whiteside and guys like that. Me and him have been fighting about trying to guard Kyrie. Like, he always guards him, so let me guard him. He let me guard him a couple of times and I did a great job on him. He's been taking it personally. That's what he needs to do to make that first team. I definitely think that he is going to make it.”

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John Wall recently proclaimed himself to be the best two-way point guard in the NBA. But while he certainly has the talent and the ability to be the best, he has yet to show it as consistently as someone like Chris Paul, who once again made it to All-NBA Defense First Team last season.

He’s been particularly inconsistent on the defensive end, where he should really be dominating more with his size and his athleticism. But with the focus he seems to have on improving on that end of the floor this offseason, it’s possible that Wall will finally get to show that he is indeed the best two-way player at his position in the NBA.