Washington Wizards: John Wall, Moving Away from the Ball
On Sunday, the Washington Wizards’ John Wall attended the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. Although selected, the five-time all-star would sit this one out, while he’s recovering from knee surgery. But he still has plans both on and off the court. Finishing his degree is at the top of his list.
In January, the Washington Wizards‘ John Wall penned a poignant and powerful letter to his dad inThe Undefeated. The letter detailed the few precious moments he had with his father. Most importantly it was an unfinished letter, because the All-Star guard had promises to keep.
Wall recounted visiting his dad who was locked up, yet was still able to unlock the child’s man to an unlimited future.
"“Our discussions were never about where you came from, but the places you wanted me to go. Looking back, there you were, an inmate locked away with not much of a future. But that didn’t keep you from encouraging me, a young boy, to get an education and to go to college.”"
Wall would also mention his sister. That part left an indelible impression. She could have ridden her brother’s coattails. A man with a max contract, Adidas and other endorsements.
Yet, the leadership blood also ran through her veins. Not only did she go to college, the reader can hear the pride in Wall’s voice, as he writes that she went on to graduate school and received her master’s.
The independence of his sister is very striking. Boys and young men look up to Wall. Now, his sister is someone whom other girls and young women could look up to as well—to strive a path of their own. They don’t need to depend on someone else and can stand on their own two feet.
Wall writes his father, “[a]lthough I have not yet completed my degree, it is a goal that I hope to accomplish.”
There’s no doubt that he will. I was trying to guess what could the person who is one of the best in the world at what he does major in. At the time of reading, I thought his excellent hand-eye coordination are attributes for a surgeon, if he chose pre-med.
On Monday, Candace Buckner of the Washington Post reported, that Wall will return to the University of Kentucky this summer. He will work towards a business degree, keeping his promise to his father to finish school.
"“I’m going back to school this summer to get my business degree,” Wall revealed. “That’s what I’m focusing on. I promised my dad that.”"
There comes a point in every athlete’s life when they will have to move without the ball. Wall is preparing for his future. As he has said many times, his “children’s children” are set for life, after he received that max contract last offseason. Yet, he still wants to leave more than a financial legacy behind for them.
However, just because he was one-and-done, does not in any way reflect his intelligence. There are some who want to place certain athletes in a box based on their education.
There is no way that Wall could have gone as far as he has. Or become the leader that he has become, with all that he went through, and is going through, if he wasn’t exceptionally intelligent.
In all fields, people have excelled and reached the pinnacle of their career and unimaginable success without a degree. Yet, no one insults their intelligence.
But Wall isn’t doing this for anyone. This has nothing to do with recent comments by a person directed at the greatest athlete on the planet—LeBron James. Who also has one of the best business minds as well.
"“When our career is over, when we retire and the basketball stops bouncing, we still have the find something else to do,” Wall said. “Whether you want to be a general manager, a doctor, a businessman, whatever, you have to believe on everything you stand on. We’re more than athletes and the stuff that’s going on in our society and in this world, we have to speak on it. I think we have the right to say whatever we want.”"
Wall continues to be a role model for those who look up to him. Also, for those who may have decided to put something off, it’s a reminder that it’s never too late to recapture your dreams.
He could have sat on his laurels, hiring other people when the time came to complete his complex deals and transactions. But Wall is a leader. Therefore, when the dealmaking happens, why shouldn’t he be sitting at the head of that boardroom table?
Athletes don’t only exist when they’re in between those lines. They have so much more to offer society. So there will come a time when he moves away from the ball, and then he has the whole world before him.
He’s keeping a promise to his father, but he’s also giving hope to a child.