Five-Time All-Star Point Guard Announces His Retirement from the NBA
Today, it was announced by Shams Charania that five-time all-star point guard John Wall has retired from basketball. Wall played eleven seasons in the NBA and is most known for his time with the Wizards. He also played for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Houston Rockets. The former number one overall pick out of Kentucky has contemplated whether to continue playing after agreeing to a buyout with the Rockets in 2023. He has gone on to explore other avenues in the industry, including broadcasting. Now, with his retirement confirmed, Wall hopes to remain a part of the game in some way.
The Raleigh, NC native was drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2010 NBA Draft. Known for his exceptional speed and athleticism, Wall quickly made his mark as a rookie by becoming just the third youngest player in league history to record a triple-double in November 2010. Wall averaged 16 points, five rebounds, and eight assists during his rookie year, where he finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting. Wall played for the Wizards from 2010 to 2020, where he established himself as one of the premier guards in the NBA. He had his best statistical season in 2016-17, where he averaged 23 points, four rebounds, and 10 assists and played in 78 regular-season games. During his time in D.C., he was named to the NBA All-Star Team five times, from 2014 to 2018, and made the playoffs four times. Along with Bradley Beal, the Wizards only made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. From 2017 to 2020, Wall experienced many knee injuries that slowed down his career. The five-time all-star suffered injuries to his knee, heel, and Achilles during the last few years with the Wizards. During his time in D.C., he ranked fourth on the all-time scoring list by scoring 10,879 points. Wall is the franchise’s leader in assists with 5,282 career assists. Despite not winning a championship with the Wizards, his reputation and play on the court have made him one of the most beloved Wizards players by fans.
In December 2020, Wall was traded to the Houston Rockets as part of the Russell Westbrook trade. He experienced some minimal success in Houston, but he was not the same player he was during his time with the Wizards, as it appeared that the previous injuries were catching up to him. In 2021-22, Wall and the Rockets reached an agreement for him not to play as the team was focused on developing their younger guards, and in the summer of 2022, the two sides reached a buyout agreement. He signed a two-year deal with the Clippers soon afterwards, but in 2023, he was traded back to the Rockets, who waived him three days after the trade. In February 2025, Wall expressed his desire to return to the NBA after two years of exploring different avenues; however, with no team calling, the 34-year-old point guard has decided to retire. Wall announced his social media platforms this morning, which featured a video montage of his career and accolades. Now, as he steps into retirement, Wall hopes to remain a part of the game of basketball, but he will be remembered by Wizards fans as a D.C. legend.
