The NBA, aside from being a basketball league, is a workplace. It has rules and regulations the employees need to adhere to, just like any other professional setting would. The league also has its own unwritten rules that everyone needs to know and follow, especially the rookies, and Washington Wizards star John Wall is a veteran who doesn't hesitate to put the rooks in their place.
In an article for NBC Sports Washington, Wall is described as a bit of a disciplinarian in the locker room.
Wall is known as a bit of a locker room cop. As a franchise player and veteran, he has his rules and wants you to abide by them.
“John is real tough on rookies,” Beal joked. “If you mess up or say anything bad to him or say anything not on his side, John is going to let you have it. He don't care.”
Much of the punishment violators receive is harmless. Wall said it takes a lot for him or another veteran to get really angry.
“I just try to tell them like it is, straight forward. I don't try to do anything outrageous or overboard,” Wall said.
Rookies, no matter how high they are picked in the draft, usually are given a hard time by the veterans when they come in. They do this not just to poke fun at them — though it does play a part in it– but also to let these kids know of the pecking order in the locker room. This is just part of the NBA culture that newcomers need to go through to get the respect they need to earn to be good veterans of their own.
John Wall won't let the youngsters forget this.
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