To be completely honest, I’m not sure why NBA agent David Falk decided to take time out of his days and share his thoughts on John Wall and his potential. Perhaps John Wall wasn’t willing to let him be his agent? I dont know. But check out the comments via the Washington Post.
Falk was extremely clear on his stance about the Wizards and Wall in particular.
“You guys are in dreamland. Because this team [stinks] so bad you guys want John Wall to be someone he will never be.”
“Before Wall becomes Nene, I would trade him and get rid of him.”
“I’m serious. He doesn’t have a feel for the game,” Falk said. “He only knows how to play one speed. Magic Johnson had a great feel, a court sense, by the time he was a sophomore in college. Chris Paul had it by the time he was a sophomore in high school.
“You can develop your jump shot all you want, but if you don’t know how to play more than an up-and-down game by the time you’re about 20 as a point guard, the chances of learning are very slim. I don’t see it happening.”
“Let me ask you a question,” Falk said, maybe 28 times over 30 minutes, often answering for you. “Who’s bigger, Kyrie Irving or John Wall? John Wall. Who’s a better athlete? John Wall. Who’s faster? Who’s stronger? John Wall.
“Now, who’s a better player? Kyrie Irving,” he said of Cleveland’s all-star point guard who was rookie of the year in 2012. “John Wall will never be good as Kyrie Irving was in his first week in the NBA.
“You want to know the reason why just nine teams have won an NBA title in 40 years? Because if both of them came out today, 99 percent of all general managers would still take John Wall instead of Kyrie Irving. They’d take the athlete over the ballplayer. And they’d be wrong.”
“I’m not down on John Wall,” Falk said, before being further down on John Wall. “I just think people want him to be something he’s never going to be. He’s a big tease. He doesn’t have a good enough feel for the game to be an elite player. I don’t think he’ll ever be the player you think he is.”
Strong thoughts regarding one of the better young players in this league.
Here’s the thing, I think Falk was extremely harsh with his evaluation of Wall. Unbiased, it sounds like maybe he has something personal against.
But in my opinion, I do agree with some of the sentiments. Wall has elite athleticism and has shown the ability to put the ball in the basket. Something that I think he will only get better at as the years go by.
But, I have never once believed he is an elite passer or playmaker, and that is something I believe you have to be born with.
So do I think the Wizards should just ship him off? No he’s a great young talent and has a bright future. But do I think a team can win a Championship with him as the centerpiece? No.
But as always, we have to let things play out on the court. Wall has a long career ahead of him.
