Is John Wall a Bust?

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  • Rudi
    #CyCueto
    • Nov 2008
    • 9905

    Is John Wall a Bust?

    I was a huge JW11 fan in college, and honestly thought he would ball out in the league...well 2 seasons in, and he is arguably the worst shooter in the league from a guard position. People always give Rondo shit for his awful shooting, but JW is worse. Here is a look at his season from the Washington post.



    Wizards’ John Wall says he was ‘kind of the same’ in his second season

    John McDonnell/The Washington Post - John Wall, the 2010 No. 1 overall draft pick, made just 27.6 percent of his shots beyond three feet this season.


    Coach Randy Wittman said Wall “made great strides” in game-management the final two months of the season and no longer had to look over to the bench to call the right plays to exploit the defense. “That’s huge in being a top-caliber point guard,” Wittman said, adding that Wall improved in controlling tempo as well. “How many times did we see him crash and burn going too far when there was nowhere to go? We hardly saw that at all, coming down the stretch. He’s got a ways to go to become the player I think he’s going to be capable of being. If he’s going to be an elite player in this league, he’s going to have to put in a hard summer.”

    No proper preparation

    Personal Post

    Wall recently said that he didn’t prepare properly for his second season, participating in too many charity exhibition games because of uncertainty with the lockout. He said he is “cool on that” this summer and will instead work on improving his shooting as he trains in Los Angeles and Washington.

    Teams managed to neutralize his speed in the half court by staying back and daring him to beat them with his jumper, which he had little confidence in and took reluctantly. Wall made 61.9 percent of his shots inside three feet (237 for 383), but he struggled to connect from everywhere else. He shot just 27.6 percent (141 for 511) from three feet and beyond and Thorpe said his three-point shot “fell off the face of the earth.” He missed 39 of his 42 attempts from long distance; his 7.1 percent accuracy ranks as worst among any player to make a three-pointer this season.

    “For two years, he’s regarded league-wide as a talented player with a couple of exceptional physical attributes, his speed in particular. But he seems to be a little stubborn in adjusting to the NBA game,” said an Eastern Conference advance scout, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not at liberty to make comments on behalf of his team. “You get the sense on the whole, he’s not doing a lot of thinking the game yet. He’s kind of run into a little bit of roadblock as far as understanding why what he’s doing isn’t good enough yet. I do feel there is a lot more that’s still there.”

    Wall has already shown plenty. Only Oscar Robertson, Damon Stoudamire, Tim Hardaway, Phil Ford and Chris Paul needed fewer games to score at least 2,000 points and hand out 1,000 assists, which Wall accomplished in 124 games. Since steals became a stat in 1970, Wall became the fastest player in NBA history to have 2,200 points, 1,000 assists, 600 rebounds, 200 steals and 90 blocks (134 games).

    Wall was also incredibly durable this season, playing all 66 games and finishing fifth in the league in minutes played. Golden State Warriors Coach Mark Jackson, who ranks third all-time in assists, believes Wall is on the right track.

    “Truthfully, he’s far ahead from these other guards, because you can see the point guard in him. He knows how to run a team. I think he’s a heck of a player and [is] going to be special.”
  • Juggernaut
    Sitting on the Sidelines
    • Dec 2008
    • 5670

    #2


    Just because he can't carry a team by himself doesn't mean he's a bust. Put a legitimate #2 option and then we'll see how he plays. Anyone who had to have Andray Blatche and Javale McGee as his starting bigs would struggle. The only player he's played with who would actually play major minutes would have to be Nick Young, whose a head case and got shipped out, and Nene, but he's a new acquisition and over the hump.

    Comment

    • EmpireWF
      Giants in the Super Bowl
      • Mar 2009
      • 24082

      #3
      He certainly has not played up to a #1 pick but that team has been so godawful, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until he gets at least one non-moronic team player beside him that can ball.


      Comment

      • Rudi
        #CyCueto
        • Nov 2008
        • 9905

        #4
        I do agree with the fact he has had NO ONE around him...but those shooting numbers are so bad lol

        Comment

        • Juggernaut
          Sitting on the Sidelines
          • Dec 2008
          • 5670

          #5
          Originally posted by Rudi
          I do agree with the fact he has had NO ONE around him...but those shooting numbers are so bad lol
          Shocking really. I didn't realize it got that bad. But like Empire said, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

          I mean, he was the #1 pick. He's going to feel more pressure, which will make him take more shots. No one else is gonna take those desperation shots.

          Comment

          • Mogriffjr
            aka Reece
            • Apr 2009
            • 2759

            #6
            That Wiz team had nothing around him...and he still managed to do pretty decent.

            Kevin Seraphin came on late down the stretch...him and Nene with Vesely is a start. They need some more shooters...Crawford jacking up a ton of shots and really the only perimeter option on the team isn't good for Wall as well..
            Originally posted by Nick Mangold
            Wes Welker is a great player. He's really taken advantage of watching film. If we don't keep a Spy on him, he could really open the Gate.

            Comment

            • ThomasTomasz
              • Nov 2024

              #7
              Originally posted by Mogriffjr
              That Wiz team had nothing around him...and he still managed to do pretty decent.

              Kevin Seraphin came on late down the stretch...him and Nene with Vesely is a start. They need some more shooters...Crawford jacking up a ton of shots and really the only perimeter option on the team isn't good for Wall as well..
              Exactly. I don't watch a lot of basketball, but when Wall is guarded like he is and there aren't quality option to go to, he's going to try and take those shots and not do well.

              The team performed much better down the stretch, and Nene's vet presence played a huge part in that. They definitely need to get a shooter and a center this off-season. Wall's shot will come, but right now what is important to me is him becoming a leader on this team and running the offense, much like a catcher in baseball needs to develop their defense and game-calling ability before their offense.

              Comment

              • ralaw
                Posts too much
                • Feb 2009
                • 6663

                #8
                Some people use the term "busts" too losely.

                I really don't know what people expected from him when he came into the draft, because he isn't a "franchise" changing type of player and any one expecting that was fooling themselves. He's a 6'3" point guard...for the most part without a good support staff those guys don't dominate and change a franchise. Just because he was the #1 pick doesn't mean he was supposed to come in and be LeBron James. I don't understand why people make draft position and success so rigid, as you have to look at the context of the draft itself. Wall thus far has had a good career and him not having a consistent jumpshot doesnt' change that. Wall's problem is that he was drafted by a terrible franchise that has little clue on how to build a team. At his best Wall would be a great complimentary player to an established big man or wing scorer. At this point Wall is forced to be a scorer, which isn't his game at all. Wall is a disttibutor first. While he has the athleticism of Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook he isn't the scorer they are, but he is a far better passer than both.

                Comment

                • Senser81
                  VSN Poster of the Year
                  • Feb 2009
                  • 12804

                  #9
                  Even at his best, Wall would be dependent on others. He's not a post player or a monster rebounder who can compile stats like Kevin Love even though the rest of his team sucks. If he's on a bad team, his stats and his play are probably also going to look bad. To be honest, I didn't think his "game" would translate that well to the NBA, so I questioned everyone jumping on his bandwagon and making him a #1 overall pick...but its still way too early to call him a bust.

                  Comment

                  • Herm
                    Boomshakalaka
                    • Oct 2008
                    • 9314

                    #10
                    Hes still the same guy he was in college it seems,a solid defender, a good distributor, great athlete, terrible shooter. We can only hope that he can develop a jumper like Derrick Rose did.

                    Comment

                    • FirstTimer
                      Freeman Error

                      • Feb 2009
                      • 18729

                      #11
                      I don't think he's a bust.

                      Trying to think of a comparable player..A bigger more skilled Rajon Rondo maybe?

                      Comment

                      • ralaw
                        Posts too much
                        • Feb 2009
                        • 6663

                        #12
                        There aren't many comparisons to John Wall. Rondo really isn't that good of a comparison, because Rondo isn't the athlete and plays smarter. Rondo uses a change of pace to get by defenders while Wall just goes full speed and attacks the rim. I'd also say Rondo is probably the better passer although Wall has great vision as well. Attacking the rim Wall is just like Rose or Westbrook, but he doesn't finish around the rim as well. I'd say Wall is a mixture of Rondo and Westbrook/Rose in that he can pass, but really can't shoot, but also has the ability to get by any defender due to his athleticism.

                        Comment

                        • FirstTimer
                          Freeman Error

                          • Feb 2009
                          • 18729

                          #13
                          Originally posted by ralaw
                          There aren't many comparisons to John Wall. Rondo really isn't that good of a comparison, because Rondo isn't the athlete and plays smarter. Rondo uses a change of pace to get by defenders while Wall just goes full speed and attacks the rim. I'd also say Rondo is probably the better passer although Wall has great vision as well. Attacking the rim Wall is just like Rose or Westbrook, but he doesn't finish around the rim as well. I'd say Wall is a mixture of Rondo and Westbrook/Rose in that he can pass, but really can't shoot, but also has the ability to get by any defender due to his athleticism.
                          Good points. maybe what I was going for with all the talk to Wall needing players around him was that if you put him in a situation like Boston he goes off the charts production/perception wise.

                          Comment

                          • Senser81
                            VSN Poster of the Year
                            • Feb 2009
                            • 12804

                            #14
                            Originally posted by FirstTimer
                            I don't think he's a bust.

                            Trying to think of a comparable player..A bigger more skilled Rajon Rondo maybe?
                            Stephon Marbury or Jon Crotty.

                            Comment

                            • FirstTimer
                              Freeman Error

                              • Feb 2009
                              • 18729

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Senser81
                              Stephon Marbury or Jon Crotty.
                              So he's comparable to Oscar Robertson too?

                              Comment

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