Player Name: John Wall (Washington Wizards)
Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4/195 pounds
Why you need to watch him on NBA League Pass: Those debates from earlier in Wall’s career about whether or not he was a “true” point guard and capable of handling the responsibility of carrying a franchise seem extra these days. The better debate? Is Wall the most underrated player, regardless of position, in the league? Seriously. He’s that good and means that much to the Wizards, a team that returned to Eastern Conference relevance on Wall’s watch.
Few players in the league impact the game for their team in as many ways as Wall can (and does) on a routine basis for coach Randy Wittman’s crew. If not for a hand injury suffered during the 2015 playoffs, Wall and his backcourt-mate, Bradley Beal, might have KO’d the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Wall is still not as good a shooter as others at his position. But, he packs a scoring punch (career 17.6 average), elite playmaking skills (his career-high 10.0 assists last season were second only to Chris Paul’s 10.2) and ball-hawking defensive abilities that make him one player you’ve got to see as much as possible. That jaw-dropping speed remains his deadliest weapon. There is no need for further debate, though: Wall has silenced his critics and proves it night in and night out.
— Sekou Smith, NBA.com
