John Wall had a fiery message to the home crowd during the halftime break of the Washington Wizards' matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night.
Wall attended the game as Washington dedicated a Celebration Night for him. He represented the franchise for 10 seasons from 2010 to 2020, giving them their best years in the modern NBA era.
Wall delivered a halftime speech to the crowd, who paid tribute to his remarkable career. While his jersey has yet to go up in the rafters, the former star guard had a clear message about his appreciation to the city.
“I love you all. This is my city. This is still my house!” Wall said, per reporter Josh Robbins.
How John Wall played throughout NBA career with Wizards
John Wall will always have the respect of the Wizards community, especially with his impact on the franchise throughout the 2010s.
Wall elevated the Wizards from lottery status to playoff contenders, leading them to the postseason four times. 2014 and 2017 marked their best years with him leading the offense, getting to the East Semifinals as they were one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017. However, they lost in Game 7 to the Boston Celtics during that series.
Wall racked up five All-Star selections, landed on one All-NBA team in 2017 and one All-Defensive squad in 2015. Throughout 573 total appearances with Washington, he averaged 19 points, 9.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. He shot 43.3% from the field, including 32.4% from beyond the arc, and 78.1% from the free-throw line.
Even though Washington never got over the hump to make a deep playoff run, they enjoyed strong seasons with Wall wowing the crowds with his elite playmaking and athleticism. His prime years were ones to marvel at as the Wizards hope to build on the success he gave them in the 2010s and help the franchise return to relevancy in the 2020s.
