Former Wildcat John Wall retires from NBA after 11 seasons

John Wall is retiring after 11 NBA seasons.

Wall, 34, played most of his career with the Washington Wizards after they made him the first overall pick in the 2010 draft out of Kentucky. The five-time All-Star point guard finishes his NBA career with averages of 18.7 points and 8.9 assists per game.

“Today, I’m stepping off of the court, but not away from the game,” Wall said in a social media post on Tuesday. “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.”

At UK, Wall was the number one recruit in the country, and a "one and done" during John Calipari's first season. He averaged 16.6 points per game and helped the 'Cats to an Elite Eight appearance.

Wall played most of his pro career with the Washington Wizards, but also played for the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. In his best season, he averaged 23.1 points and 10.7 assists for the Wizards in 2016-17 and was named All-NBA third team.

Wall was one of the fastest, most athletic point guards during his prime — he was the 2014 Slam Dunk champion. He was an elite defender, making the All-Defensive second team in 2015.

Injuries plagued the second half of his career. He never played more than half the games in any of the past six seasons and he didn’t play the last two years.


(AP Photo Nick Wass)