Former Washington Wizards star John Wall announced his retirement from the NBA via an Instagram post on Tuesday.
Wall, 34, was selected by Washington with the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and spent nine seasons in D.C.
Wall led the Wizards to four playoff berths and advanced to the second round three times, with the farthest run coming in 2017 when Washington lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Wall’s Wizards resume is a decorated one:
Wall’s most iconic moment in a Wizards uniform came in Game 6 of the 2017 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics, when, with just 3.5 seconds remaining, he rose up and sunk a go-ahead 3-pointer to give Washington a 92-91 lead. The Wizards won that game to keep their season alive, and after the final buzzer, Wall climbed onto the scorer’s table and pointed down, saying, “This is my city.”
Wall’s best season in Washington came during the 2016-17 campaign, in which he earned All-NBA Third Team honors after averaging 23.1 points and 10.7 assists per game. Wall finished 7th in MVP voting that year and made his fourth All-Star game.
Injuries plagued the ladder part of Wall’s career. The speedy guard missed 41 games in 2017-18 with a left knee injury before undergoing heel surgery in December 2018 that caused him to miss the remainder of that season. One month later, while recovering from heel surgery, Wall suffered a torn Achilles, causing him to miss all of the following 2019-20 season.
The Wizards traded Wall to the Houston Rockets in 2020. Wall spent one season in Houston and another playing for the Los Angelos Clippers in 2023.
Wall left a lasting impact on the D.C. community with the John Wall Family Foundation, hosting community events such as turkey drives for Thanksgiving as a member of the Wizards.