John Wall says he was the East's second-best player behind LeBron in his prime: “I’m one of those guys people talk about on the regular”

In his recent appearance on the Knuckleheads Podcast, John Wall echoed his conviction that during the height of his prime, he was only behind LeBron James in the entire Eastern Conference hierarchy.

“I felt like I was coming into being a superstar,” Wall said . “Sad thing, injuries happen; it’s part of the game. But I felt like I was the second-best player in the East that year after LeBron. We were hooping, we were balling. You solidify yourself. When you get to that second max [contract], even third max, you feel like you made it. I’m one of those guys people talk about on the regular.”

D.C.’s finest

These intriguing words echoed by Wall might raise the eyebrows of the majority, but the former star point guard can provide solid arguments to backstop what he has been at his peak.

Paul George, Isaiah Thomas, DeMar DeRozan, and Kyrie Irving might disagree with his claim, but Wall was indisputably a bad man back in the day. As it is, he served as the cornerstone of the Washington Wizards and was an elite floor general who could do it all on both ends. He was a nightmare matchup with his lightning-fast play and electrifying athleticism, slashing through the opposing team's defenses as a one-man wrecking crew.

The five-time All-Star carried the Wizards on his back to four winning seasons. As such, he seized the peak of his prime during the 2016-17 campaign, averaging 23.1 points, 10.7 assists, 4.2 boards, and 2.0 steals, which powered D.C. to the brink of a Conference Finals appearance.

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Injuries robbed Wall of fulfilling potential

As he noted, it's just devastating how things have suddenly unraveled for Wall. He was on the verge of maximizing his prime after that promising 2016-17 run for the Wizards, but injuries started to cripple and ruin his skyrocketing career.

A series of unfortunate events crushed Wall from meeting his true potential. After 33 games, Wall was shut down for the remainder of the 2018-19 season after undergoing a left heel surgery. But a few weeks later, another hurdle occurred as he contracted infection on the said procedure and even sustained a ruptured left Achilles tendon when he slipped and fell in his household, extending his absence beyond the 2019-20 campaign.

As he was about to return to the court, he saw a heartbreaking exit from the nation's capital as the Wizards traded him to the Houston Rockets. His time in the Rockets hasn't been a pleasant one. After playing the 2020-21 season for them, the team kept him out for the following season as they worked for a trade that didn't materialize. John seized a major opportunity in 2022-23 as the L.A. Clippers signed him on a two-year, $13.2 million deal. But he didn't last long within the franchise upon being traded mid-season.

All these unwanted occurrences left a huge toll on Wall up to the point that he contemplated committing suicide . But his family and undying love for the game have kept him continuing the fight, hoping to gain another chance even if he couldn't turn back the hands of time to redeem himself as one of the NBA’s best.

Related: John Wall offers a bold take on the 2016-17 Washington Wizards - "We were gonna beat the s**t outta LeBron James"