Wiz of Awes
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Washington Wizards: Will John Wall’s legacy be like Reggie Miller or Charles Barkley?

By Jen Julie Smith

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Toronto Raptors in the second half during Game Six of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Toronto Raptors in the second half during Game Six of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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SPRINGFIELD, MA – September 7: Inductee Reggie Miller speaks to the audience during the 2012 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on September 7, 2012 at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
SPRINGFIELD, MA – September 7: Inductee Reggie Miller speaks to the audience during the 2012 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on September 7, 2012 at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Does Wall accept the status quo and no ring?

Whenever one discusses contemporary greats, Reggie Miller is on that list.

No one argues, that Miller doesn’t have a ring so he shouldn’t be in that hallowed company.

Mr. Downtown is a great without a ring.

However, Charles Barkley almost has to defend his greatness on a nightly basis, when someone brings up that he doesn’t have a ring. There’s room for debate in some circles.

Which one will Wall be if the Wizards don’t make a seismic shakeup? Miller or Barkley?

Because the present trajectory of this organization is not leaning towards a championship contender any time soon.

In fact, it’s not even leading towards a conference finals contender, whether LeBron James is in the East or not.

Why? It starts at the top. It’s nice to be a “player’s coach”. But there has to be some type of demarcation.

There were times throughout the season, when Markieff Morris or Marcin Gortat didn’t show up. Coach Scott Brooks would come out and say, “I’m going to play the players that want to play”.

Those idle threats never came to fruition. Players’ feet weren’t held to the fire and no fire was lit underneath them.

Wall is the leader of the team. So it’s understandable when he was sidelined, that he chose not to lead out of deference to his team.

However, leaders don’t take days off. That’s when the Wizards needed him most. If you’re on the bench, you still lead.

When Brooks was being a friend first and a coach second, when the Wizards were not showing up, then it was on Wall to step up. (Bradley Beal is also the co-leader).

Leadership was lacking last season. Brooks trying to be friends with his players, and Wall not trying to offend his teammates.

Otto Porter, Jr., who I have hailed in a lot of my articles earlier in the season as being the best player on the team, is no longer getting a pass.

One could tell when he was playing injured, and then one could tell when Porter was playing not to offend his teammates.

Porter, if you want to take the last shot, ask for it? If you have the hot hand, the ball should be in your hand. The start of the season, I envisioned Wall, Beal and Porter as a “Big 3”.

But as the season wore on, it was the Big 1. We started to get these sound bites from Beal, if “John has the hot hand, he takes over. If I have the hot hand”…yada, yada, yada.

So it was either Wall’s game or Beal’s game, but not a team game. I’m not saying that in the Marcin Gortat vernacular.

It had nothing to do with assists, the team did not play together last season. It was a team within a team.

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