Sam Cassell recently told the story about the time John Wall reached out to for some veteran advice. While Wall was one of the best rookies during his time, he wasn't necessarily playing for the best team. Cassell revealed that the Washington Wizards rookie at one point knocked on his doorstep and showed up crying.
According to the NBA legend, Wall asked him if his situation would get any better after losing 25 straight games. Cassell gave him the hard truth to make him realize that it would eventually help him grow as a basketball player.
“John Wall [was] in tears, crying. He lost 25 games. It ain’t December yet. He asked me, ‘OG, is it going to get any better?’… I ain’t gonna lie to you. I looked him in the face… ‘No.’… ‘It's gonna be bad next year too. But we gotta grow. You gotta keep working.'”
Looking back at John Wall's rookie season
Back in 2010, the Washington Wizards drafted John Wall as the number one overall pick. Wall was one of the flashiest and most explosive point guards among all other prospects. He immediately made an impact on the court with his individual performances in the 2010-11 NBA season.
He nearly won the NBA Rookie of the Year award, placing second only behind Blake Griffin. Had Griffin played in the year he was drafted, Wall might've been named the Rookie of the Year. During his inaugural season, the Wizards rookie averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. Wall was producing efficient numbers for a point guard in his first year.
Unfortunately, the team that surrounded him couldn't maximize his potential. The 2010-11 Wizards ended the regular season with a 23-59 record, placing 13th in the Eastern Conference. With a lack of talent and a support system for a few years, it wasn't until the 2013-14 season that the Wizards made the playoffs under Wall's era.
The 2013-14 Wizards finally hit their stride as they finished the season with an improved 44-38 record, securing the fifth seed in the East. They beat the Chicago Bulls in the first round and won the series within five games. Sadly, they lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round but not without a fight. Wall and the Wizards forced six games proving that all it took was a better roster to improve their performance as a team.
It's a shame fans never got to see Wall reach the heights he could've achieved had he not dealt with multiple injuries.
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