Five-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA Teamer John Wall announced his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday after 11 seasons in the league.
The former No. 1 overall pick by the Washington Wizards in the 2010 NBA Draft was one of the best guards in the NBA throughout his prime. From the 2013-14 season through the 2017-18 season, he made five straight All-Star teams, finishing as high as seventh in MVP voting.
Wall made the announcement on his social media:
"Retired but never done. Doing it the #WallWay," the caption read.
Wall posted a one minute and 46 second video with a voiceover.
"I gave this game everything I had," Wall said in the video. "Every jersey I wore, it meant more than just wins and stats. It was about representing something bigger."
Wall thanked his family, teammates and fans in the video.
"Today, I'm stepping off of the court, but not away from the game," the video continued. "Basketball will always be in my life, and new opportunities present themselves. I feel now is the time to walk confidently into my next chapter."
John Wall Joins Amazon Prime
After announcing his retirement, it didn't take long for his next chapter to commence. Amazon Prime Video announced on Wednesday that Wall would be a part of the team as an "analyst."
"If you never really had the opportunity to sit down and talk to me, you won't really understand how much I love basketball, where my basketball mind is at, where my IQ is," Wall said to The Washington Post about joining Amazon. "I can basically tell you the best player in the country - from girls to boys, high school, to the players that's in college, to the people that's at the NBA and WNBA."
Wall appeared in 647 games at the NBA level, mainly with the Wizards but also with the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged 18.7 points and 8.9 assists per game across his 11-season career.
In addition to his retirement and new role, Wall told the Washington Post that he wanted to remain with the Wizards for his entire career before injuries derailed it.
"People think, 'Oh, he got the money, he's set for life, he don't care.' No, I would give up all the money to play basketball and never deal with none of those injuries," Wall said. "I didn't play the game of basketball for money. I played the game of basketball because I love it. I was itching to get back to play. I wasn't itching to sit on the sideline and collect the check. The check don't mean [anything]."
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