Houston Rockets guard John Wall proclaimed himself the “greatest shot-blocking point guard of all time” following his team's victory over the Sacramento Kings, in which he earned two denials.
John Wall: "I feel like I'm the best shot blocking point guard of all time."
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) January 3, 2021
While Wall's defensive effort has been noticeable to start the year, it has been the guard's play on the offensive end that has caught the attention of most observers around the NBA.
Playing for the first time in over 24 months due to a series of leg injuries, Wall became the first player since Michael Jordan to score a combined 50 points in two games following such a long layoff, according to ESPN Stats and Info.
Taking the responsibility to pace the Rockets with James Harden sidelined due to an ankle injury, Wall led Houston to a 102-94 victory over the Kings that brought the club back to .500.
Despite his prolific scoring in the early going, Wall seems most proud of his ability to defend, regardless of what makes the highlight reel.
Reminding reporters that he could be a lockdown defender when healthy, Wall proved his value on the defensive end with a tremendous effort against De'Aaron Fox. Taking the speedy guard as his primary assignment in the game, Wall relished the opportunity to body up the smaller guard, using his active hands to cause multiple turnovers against the Kings.
As Wall alluded to, the problem is his ability to remain healthy and stay on the floor. Traded to the Rockets in exchange for Russell Westbrook, Wall entered the season looking to answer the critics that feared his career might be in jeopardy due to his lengthy layoff.
While the former top draft pick will have to continue to prove his durability if he is to silence those whispers, there's no denying he's off to a good start.
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