Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports
There were rumblings, sure, tweets and gasps exclaiming that the Washington Wizards might have themselves a superstar. They came in last year’s playoffs, during a demolition of the Chicago Bulls. They came during two strong months to start this season.
Then the whispers turned to yells. On Christmas Day 2014, John Wall ascended.
The 102-91 victory against the NBA-worst New York Knicks wasn’t that impressive, no. Wall’s 24 points, 11 assists and six rebounds were pretty standard fare by his own standards.
But here was a guy who was announced before the game as the leading vote-getter among Eastern Conference guards in early All-Star balloting. And he was doing spectacular things, to the surprise of no one who had been paying attention to the red-hot Wizards.
“Respect to John Wall” was trending on Twitter at one point Christmas afternoon. He’s electric to watch, sure, but it’s more than that.
Look at how well he handled himself during a fourth-quarter scuffle, when he refused to act aggressively or back down, showing leadership and restraint at the same time. He probably helped spark the fight, running directly into the Knicks’ Quincy Acy. But he kept his cool.
“Me being a key player to my team, I’ve got to try to keep my emotions in and not get a technical or get ejected,” Wall said in an ESPN interview afterward. “I’m a mature player, and I know how much I mean to my team.”
Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports
Wall’s entire attitude has changed the past couple seasons, and his public image is starting to catch up.
Once portrayed as a surly former No. 1 pick who was difficult to play with, Wall has shed any misgivings. He broke down on television while discussing the death of Miyah Telemaque-Nelson, a young cancer patient whom Wall had befriended. He’s opened up with the news media and fans and fully embraced his role as the 20-8 Wizards’ leader, with approval from veteran and champion teammate Paul Pierce.
The new John Wall has arrived.
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