3. John Wall wins MVP in the Rookie Challenge (2011)
Boy, was the first moment on this list an exciting one.
Going into year one, there were a lot of high expectations for John in DC, and he was ready for the test. After a quality first half of the season for the rookie, Wall was voted to be a member of the Rookie Team that would compete in the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge, now known as the Rising Star Challenge.
Having the chance to team up with former college teammate, Demarcus Cousins, and high flyer, Blake Griffin, Wall was destined to flourish. While watching the game, I remember all the crazy dunks and thinking, “I feel like every time someone scores, it comes off a John Wall dish.” When the final buzzer sounded, which resulted in the Rookies winning, 148-140, taking one look at the stat sheet was unforgettable.
John finished the game with 12 points on 5-9 shooting, two rebounds, two steals, and wait for it…
…22 ASSISTS.
Yes, you read that correctly. It seemed like every time an exciting play happened in that game, it was set up by John. With a stat sheet that jumped off of the page, it was no surprise that Wall was named MVP of the game.
Playing against a Sophomore team that included the likes of Steph Curry, James Harden, Demar Derozan, and Serge Ibaka was no simple task. With so many great players in that game, winning MVP was very impressive. John needed to be in the conversation for best young players at the time, and this game proved that.
Coming out of Kentucky, John was known for his court vision and flashy passing, which he finally got to show under the national spotlight. This Rookie game is one of the moments that really set the stage for John early in his career towards his path to stardom.
The lobs to Blake and Boogie were pinpoint, the behind the back passes to the shooters were pretty, and the handles showed John had the ball on a string.
A game with not a lot of defense and a few athletic bigs were exactly what John needed that weekend, and he did not disappoint. This recipe for success was just the first taste of the greatness that John had in the NBA, and, man, was it a great start.
Although he was not an All-Star in his rookie season, winning MVP in the Rookie game with those 22 assists made a serious statement to the NBA, that the Wizards had a star on their hands.