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Eastern Notes: White, Donovan, Johnson, Wall, Shammgod

September 7th, 2025 at 9:08pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, who won back-to-back NCAA titles with Florida during his college coaching career, was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday. Starting guard Coby White attended the ceremony and spoke to Chicago Sports Network about Donovan’s “amazing accomplishment” and what he likes about having him as a coach (Twitter video link).

“He’s honest,” White said of Donovan. “He pushes you, he’s going to get the most out of you. And for the most part, he’s always been upfront with me.

“But he also believes in his players. He gets his players to compete every night. He builds a relationship with his players, which often times you don’t see (with NBA head coaches).”

Donovan signed a multiyear extension with the Bulls in late July, while White is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him about $12.9MM in 2025/26.

Here are a few more notes from around the East:

Wizards lottery pick Tre Johnson III was viewed as one of the best shooters entering the 2025 draft but he also displayed improved ball-handling a couple months ago at Las Vegas Summer League, writes Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. “I watch bits and pieces of Kyrie (Irving) and Darius Garland, just from a guard’s perspective how they can change speeds,” Johnson said. Second-year big man Alex Sarr believes Johnson is more than capable of creating shots for both himself and others. “I like his play-making in general. I already knew that about him, but it’s just good to see. I feel like we’re just seeing the surface of what he’s capable of,” Sarr said.
John Wall announced his retirement as a player last month and will cover the NBA for Amazon Prime Video in 2025/26. In an interview with Michael Lee of The Washington Post, Wall said he hopes to have his No. 2 jersey retired by the Wizards. Varun Shankar of The Washington Post considers whether the Wizards should retire Wall’s jersey, noting that the former No. 1 overall pick made five All-Star appearances with the franchise and is the team’s all-time leader in both assists and steals. While it’s been a long time since the organization has retired a player’s jersey, Shankar believes Wall could be a “logical” choice to be honored, as he was the driving force behind Washington’s “best stretch since (Wes) Unseld retired.”
Assistant coach God Shammgod, who joined Orlando this offseason after nine years in Dallas, believes the Magic have a talented roster capable of taking a step forward this season, he tells Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. “Paolo (Banchero) and Franz (Wagner) and them, they’re coming into their own right now,” Shammgod said. “They’re at the right age where they still young, but they young enough to dare. Dare to be great. And I believe like Paolo and Franz is going to be great, but Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, we got Tyus Jones. Now we got so many great players. … And I feel like right now they all are ready to make their mark. So I’m just happy and honored to be a part of it.”

John Wall To Join Amazon’s NBA Coverage

August 20th, 2025 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

When John Wall announced his retirement as a player on Tuesday, he referred to “new opportunities” presenting themselves and said he’s ready for his “next chapter.” According to Michael Lee of The Washington Post, the next phase of Wall’s career will involve joining Amazon Prime Video for its studio show in 2025/26.

Although Wall told Lee in a recent phone interview that he still felt like he has “a lot left in my tank” as a player and was disappointed he didn’t get another opportunity on the court, he’s looking forward to staying involved in the NBA by sharing his insights with fans on Prime Video beginning this fall.

“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. “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.”

It will be Amazon’s first season as an NBA broadcaster. The streaming giant will air games exclusively on Friday nights through December before adding Thursday and Saturday broadcasts later in the season. Prime Video will also be the home of the knockout round of the NBA Cup in December.

Amazon previously announced that former NBA stars Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki will be part of its studio show, which will be hosted by Taylor Rooks.

In addition to that studio team, Prime Video’s broadcasting roster will include analysts Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Candace Parker, Stan Van Gundy, Dell Curry, Brent Barry, and Udonis Haslem, as well as sideline reporters Cassidy Hubbarth, Allie Clifton, and Kristina Pink, and play-by-play announcers Kevin Harlan, Ian Eagle, Michael Grady, and Eric Collins.

Wall, meanwhile, made a few more interesting remarks in his conversation with Lee, noting that he had wanted to remain with the Wizards for his entire NBA career and that he hopes to have his No. 2 jersey retired by the franchise. The former No. 1 overall pick also discussed the health issues that derailed his playing career and ultimately cut it short.

“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].”

John Wall Announces Retirement

August 19th, 2025 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

Former No. 1 overall pick and five-time NBA All-Star John Wall has announced his retirement, publishing a video on social media to confirm his decision (Instagram link).

“I’ve been chasing a ball since I could barely walk. Driveways, parks, packed gyms, 5:00 am workouts,” Wall said over a video montage of his career highlights. “I gave this game everything I had, from Raleigh to Kentucky to the league. Every jersey I’ve worn meant more than just wins and stats. It was about representing something bigger, and it’s something I couldn’t do without you.

“To my family, my mom especially, thank you for all your sacrifices. I hope I made you proud. To my teammates, trainers, and coaches, thank you for believing in me. And to the fans, you made me feel unstoppable.

“Today I’m stepping off the court, but not away from the game. Basketball will always be in my life. As new opportunities present themselves, I feel now is the time to walk confidently into my next chapter. Thank you for every cheer, every moment. Retired, but never done, I’m doing it the Wall way.”

Drafted first overall by the Wizards in 2010 after earning SEC Player of the Year honors as a freshman at Kentucky, Wall almost immediately emerged as Washington’s full-time starting point guard and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.

The 6’3″ guard, known for his speed and athleticism, remained in D.C. for 10 seasons, receiving five straight All-Star nods from 2014-18, making an All-Defensive team in 2015 and earning All-NBA third team honors (and MVP votes) in 2017.

However, a series of leg injuries, including a torn Achilles, slowed down Wall during his last few seasons with the Wizards. He was traded to Houston during the 2020 offseason, but was limited to just 40 appearances in his first year with the Rockets due to ongoing health issues, then reached a mutual decision to remain away from the team in his second year in Houston. Wall’s last season in the NBA came in 2022/23, when he made 34 outings for the Clippers.

In total, Wall appeared in 647 NBA regular season games, making 604 starts, and averaged 18.7 points, 8.9 assists, and 4.2 rebounds in 34.9 minutes per contest, with a career shooting line of .430/.322/.776.

Reporting as recently as December 2024 indicated that Wall hadn’t given up on making an NBA comeback, but after no opportunities materialized this past season, the veteran – who will turn 35 next month – has decided to call it a career.

Shortly after Wall made his announcement, the Wizards put out a social media post congratulating him on his retirement and referring to him as “one of our franchise all-time greats” (Twitter link).

John Wall Still Hoping For Another NBA Opportunity

December 22nd, 2024 at 3:02pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Five-time All-Star point guard John Wall hasn’t given up on his NBA dream, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

The 6’3″ Kentucky product hasn’t played in the NBA since a brief, 34-game stint with the Clippers in 2022/23, but he continues to put in reps at the University of Miami, near his Miami offseason home, staying in game shape.

“It’d mean the world,” Wall said of a potential return to the league. “You want to go out on your own terms. I want to finish it the way I want. If I play my last game, I want to walk off the court my way.”

The 34-year-old was recently on hand at the G League’s Orlando Winter Showcase this weekend. Last year, he auditioned for attendant NBA franchises during the Winter Showcase. This season, he made his broadcasting debut, calling a pair of G League games.

“I was here last year working out for a couple teams,” Wall said. “I was on the other court, working out before games. That was fun. This was fun.”

Wall was selected with the No. 1 overall pick out of a loaded Kentucky class in 2010 by the Wizards. A nightmare in the open court, he developed as a passer and jump shooter en route to making five straight All-Star teams from 2014-18. During those five prime seasons, Wall averaged 19.9 points, 9.9 dimes, and 4.4 boards per night, with a shooting line of .436/.340/.787.

An Achilles tendon tear in 2019 forever changed his career trajectory. After sitting out the entire 2019/20 season, Wall was eventually traded to the Rockets ahead of the 2021/22 season. He agreed to a contract buyout with Houston in the summer of 2022 and subsequently signed with the Clippers.

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Northwest Notes: Dillingham, Wolves, Hendricks, Nuggets

July 19th, 2024 at 2:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham, the No. 8 overall pick of last month’s draft, has been receiving advice from Mike Conley and John Wall as he prepares for his rookie season, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.

Dillingham said he reached out to new teammate Conley for defensive advice. As for Wall, the former All-Star point guard is a North Carolina native who went to Kentucky, just like Dillingham.

“That’s my guy,” Dillingham said of Wall. “He been knowing me, texting me and stuff. At Kentucky, he came to all our games. I just hit him after the [Pelicans] game. I was super mad because I didn’t play that well. I just hit him, and he was just telling me to play my game.”

Here’s more from the Northwest:

Michael Rand and Hine of The Star Tribune recently discussed which Timberwolves players participating in Summer League have the best odds of becoming rotation members in the future. Despite struggling so far in Las Vegas, Dillingham will be given “every chance” to be Conley’s backup at point guard next season, according to Rand and Hine, who also expect fellow first-rounder Terrence Shannon to carve out rotation minutes in 2024/25. Former second-round pick Leonard Miller has impressed at Summer League, but he’s more likely to contribute in 2025/26 than ’24/25, per Rand and Hine.
Second-year Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks bounced back with a strong performance at Summer League on Wednesday after struggling on Monday, notes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. A lottery pick last year (No. 9 overall), Hendricks contributed 23 points (on 9-of-10 shooting), nine rebounds, one steal and one block. “I think he was just more aggressive and more physical right from the start,” said Summer League coach Sean Shelden. ” … How you stick in a rotation, how you stick in the NBA, is just playing like how he did tonight.”
In a subscriber-only story for The Denver Post, Bennett Durando breaks down the Nuggets‘ projected depth chart for next season. Durando has Christian Braun sliding into the starting lineup at shooting guard, with Russell Westbrook, Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson, Vlatko Cancar and Dario Saric as Denver’s first five off the bench. Westbrook will reportedly sign with the Nuggets after he finalizes a buyout with Utah and clears waivers.

Wall, Thomas, Caboclo Seeking NBA Contracts

July 15th, 2024 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

Former No. 1 overall pick and five-time All-Star John Wall is among the NBA veterans who are in Las Vegas this week in the hopes of finding their way back into the league. Making an appearance on ESPN’s Summer League broadcast on Sunday (YouTube link), Wall said he’s seeking a new NBA home after having not been on a roster since February 2023.

“My focus is to still work hard and come here and network and be around teams,” Wall said (hat tip to Nick Jungfer of Basketball Forever). Whatever role it is, I’m willing to accept. … If it’s going to a team and being a vet and teaching the young guys how to be a point guard, just to help, that’s a development I’m willing to do.”

Once a 20-point-per-game scorer who was consistently among the league leaders in assists, Wall dealt with a series of leg injuries – including a torn Achilles – and hasn’t played more than 41 games in a season since 2016/17. He appeared in 34 contests for the Clippers in ’22/23, but his shooting rates (.408/.303/.681) were well below his career averages and he has lost a step on defense. The 33-year-old was traded from Los Angeles to Houston at the 2023 deadline and was waived by the Rockets a few days later.

Another former All-Star guard who has struggled to hold a consistent NBA roster spot in recent years, Isaiah Thomas also appeared on ESPN’s Sunday broadcast (YouTube link) and told Cassidy Hubbarth that he continues to seek a new contract after finishing last season with the Suns. Thomas’ time with Phoenix in March and April represented his first stint in the NBA in two years.

“I’m a free agent right now. (I’m) talking to a few teams trying to see what the best opportunity is down the line,” Thomas said. “I want to play a year or two more. Just staying on the slow grind. Staying patiently ready. Knowing that I can impact an organization whether I play or not, and be super impactful each and every day. So I’m just waiting for the call.”

Like Wall, Thomas hasn’t played a full NBA season since 2016/17 and has been slowed by injuries since then — in Thomas’ case, a hip issue limited his availability for multiple years. In the seven years since he averaged 28.9 points per game in 76 starts for Boston in ’16/17, he has played just 115 total NBA games.

Meanwhile, former NBA first-round pick Bruno Caboclo, who has been out of the league since 2020/21, is also in Vegas in search of an NBA offer, according to a report from Mozzart Sport (hat tip to Eurohoops).

A 6’9″ forward, Caboclo never developed into a reliable role player in the NBA, but has excelled in Europe, earning All-EuroCup Second Team honors and winning a German League (Basketball Bundesliga) championship with Ratiopharm Ulm in 2023. The 28-year-old technically remains under contract with KK Partizan, but has been at odds with the Serbian club and reportedly doesn’t intend to return, per Mozzart Sport.

While it’s not uncommon for free agents to hold workouts for NBA teams in Vegas during Summer League, with so many league personnel in attendance, it’s unclear if Wall, Thomas, or Caboclo will be holding any such workouts or if they’re simply in town for networking purposes.

Austin Rivers, John Wall Work Out For NBA Teams

December 20th, 2023 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

A pair of veteran free agent guards, Austin Rivers and John Wall, worked out for NBA evaluators on Wednesday, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter links). Between 10 and 15 teams were in attendance to watch the session, Haynes adds.

Rivers and Wall have appeared in more than 1,350 regular season games between them, but neither player has been on an NBA roster this season. They’re looking to get back into the league and opted to hold a private workout in Orlando, where teams and executives have gathered this week for the annual G League Showcase.

Rivers, 31, spent last season with the Timberwolves, averaging 4.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 19.5 minutes per night across 52 contests (10 starts) for the club. His shooting line was .435/.350/.769.

Wall opened last season with the Clippers after sitting out the entire 2021/22 campaign while under contract with Houston. The 33-year-old appeared in 34 games (22.2 MPG) for the Clippers, averaging 11.4 PPG and 5.2 APG, before he was sent back to the Rockets in a trade deadline deal. Houston subsequently waived him and he has been a free agent since then.

NBA teams will be permitted to sign players to standard (ie. non-hardship) 10-day contracts beginning on January 5, so it’s possible more opportunities will open up for veteran free agents like Rivers and Wall at that time.

And-Ones: Mexico, Silver, Wall, Harding, Knight, Jackson

November 13th, 2023 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Commissioner Adam Silver dropped a hint that the league would consider having an NBA franchise in Mexico City, ESPN’s Eric Gomez writes.

“We see this as a gateway, essentially, to the rest of Latin America,” Silver said of the city. “We think, whether it be additional G League franchises in Mexico City and ultimately a larger footprint here in Latin America or ultimately the dream of an NBA franchise coming to Mexico City one day.”

Silver added that the league would definitely play another game or two in Mexico City next season. Orlando and Atlanta played there last week.

We have more from around the basketball world:

In his latest notebook on Substack, Marc Stein confirms that free agent John Wall remains focused on trying to find another NBA opportunity, as he suggested last week. Wall practiced with the South East Melbourne Phoenix on a recent trip to Australia since he’s part of the franchise’s ownership group, but he’s not looking to play there. Wall appeared in 34 games with the Clippers last season.
Former WNBA star Lindsey Harding — the only woman currently serving as a head coach of an American men’s professional basketball team — made history as the first female NBA or G League coach in the Stockton Kings’ opener on Friday, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon notes. Nancy Lieberman served as head coach for the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ affiliate, from 2009-11 when the minor league was called the D League.
Italy’s Happy Casa Brindisi has shown interest in former NBA guard Brandon Knight, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Knight, who appeared in 451 NBA regular season games, was most recently in the NBA during the 2021/22 season, when he played five games with Dallas.
Another former NBA guard, Frank Jackson, is expected to part ways with France’s ASVEL Villeurbanne, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Jackson, who has appeared in six EuroLeague games, missed the EuroLeague derby against AS Monaco last week and was absent in the French league game against Dijon over the weekend. Jackson played one game with Utah last season and saw action in 53 games with Detroit the previous season.

John Wall Continues To Seek New NBA Opportunity

November 10th, 2023 at 9:57am CST by Luke Adams

Five-time All-Star John Wall hasn’t been on an NBA roster since he was traded from the Clippers to the Rockets and then waived by Houston in February. However, he’s still attempting to make it back into the league, as he confirmed during an appearance in Melbourne, Australia, per BasketNews.com.

Wall is in Melbourne to visit with the South East Melbourne Phoenix, the National Basketball League team he owns a stake in.

“Whenever I can help the game grow in different countries and in different places, it’s super exciting for me to be hands-on and come and watch these guys working, to let them see the type of work I put in individually at the level I’m at and trying to get back to the NBA,” said Wall, who did some workouts with the team on Friday and will watch the Phoenix in action on Sunday.

“I love the game, I still get up every morning at 6:00 am, work out. I’m still dedicated to getting back in, I think something will happen soon,” Wall continued. “For me, I still love the grind, I still love to get up and put the work in. You just saw me work out for an hour, hour-thirty. No matter what, I still love the game. If I still have the hunger and desire to be [in the NBA], I’ll continue to chase my dream to get back in. It’s just being patient, staying ready, and just letting God do his work, and being ready whenever your name is called.”

Wall is no stranger to NBA comebacks. He missed he entire 2019/20 season due to heel and Achilles injuries before returning the following season for the Rockets. He was also held out of the entire 2021/22 campaign while under contract with Houston before getting an opportunity with the Clippers last season.

While he’s no longer the explosive scorer and play-maker he was earlier in his career, Wall has put up strong offensive numbers in his two most recent seasons, averaging 16.3 points and 6.1 assists in 27.6 minutes per game across 74 total appearances (43 starts). However, his shooting line was just .405/.313/.725 during that time and injuries have diminished some of the 33-year-old’s lateral quickness on defense.

Wall, who held a private workout for teams in July, remains focused on potential NBA opportunities, though he also didn’t rule out the possibility of someday suiting up for his NBL team.

“You never know what the future might hold down the road,” Wall said when asked about the idea of playing for the Phoenix. “I’m not going to make any promises. It’s super exciting to put the jersey on. They surprised me. I came with my own workout stuff on, and they said, ‘We’ve got shorts, we’ve got a jersey.’ I turn around, I got my college number with the name on the back. … That’s some memorabilia I get to take home, and hopefully, I can get all the guys to sign it before leaving so I can put it into my little trophy case.”

Suns Notes: Beal, Nurkic, Bates-Diop, Wall

November 4th, 2023 at 11:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Suns guard Bradley Beal missed his sixth straight game on Saturday, but there was an encouraging sign that his debut with the team may not be far off, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Beal, who has been sidelined with lower back spasms, went through a 20-minute workout of dribbling, moving and shooting and was able to end it by repeatedly sprinting from one sideline to the other.

Beal isn’t expected to play in Sunday’s game at Detroit, but the team’s medical staff will see how his back responds to today’s exertion. With two off days to follow, it’s possible that Beal’s first game in a Phoenix uniform could take place Wednesday in Chicago.

“I’m just excited for him. I know how much these dudes love to play,” Kevin Durant said, referring to Beal and Devin Booker, who sat out today’s game with ankle soreness. “They hate just being on the sidelines. We don’t want them to rush. We don’t want them to feel like it’s pressure to come back because we lose a couple of games. We want them to be 100% healthy for the rest of the season. So it’s important now to continue to ramp yourself up however you need to.”

There’s more on the Suns:

Jusuf Nurkic, who was acquired in a trade just before the start of training camp, continues to have trouble finishing at the rim, Rankin observes in a separate story. He shot 4-of-14 in today’s loss at Philadelphia and is connecting at just 41.7% from the field this season. Nurkic has started shooting more from the outside, with 14 three-point attempts in the last three games after just six in the first three.
Keita Bates-Diop made his first start of the season as coach Frank Vogel tinkers with his starting lineup, Rankin adds. Bates-Diop, who replaced Josh Okogie in the starting five, delivered eight points, three rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes. Vogel won’t be able to establish a regular rotation until Booker and Beal are playing full time, and it’s possible the fifth slot will keep changing throughout the season.
In an interview with Shams Charania on “Run It Back” (video link), John Wall said he would welcome the chance to reunite with Beal, his former backcourt partner in Washington. “Me and Brad are still brothers, we still talk a lot,” Wall said. “… If I could join their team, for sure, I would love that.” Wall, 33, has been out of the league since being traded to Houston and subsequently waived in February.