Bradley Beal Sends Message to Wizards Legend After Retirement

Bradley Beal not only reposted Wall's retirement video and a congratulatory statement from the official Wizards X account on the career move, but also issued his own public message to the fellow All-Star with whom he once ascended alongside.

"Congratulations to my brother @JohnWall on retiring from the NBA," Beal wrote on X. "Family 4L and one of the most elite, dominant, and game-changing figures the league has ever seen. Thank you for welcoming me with open arms and pushing me to be the best I can be. There is no BB without Dub! Thank you, brother! Enjoy the next chapter!"

He also attached a quartet of pictures of the two former Wizards guards during their joint heyday, the last time the team was up to perennial playoff snuff. Right above, Beal added a single hashtag; "DCBackcourt!"

This is something of a rare acknowledgement of his Washington background for Beal, who's had something of a complicated relationship with D.C. fans since departing the Wizards two summers ago. But despite how it ended, he and Wall are indelibly tied to the city and each other for the on-court excitement they managed to bring together in the mid-2010s.

Wall was the more individually decorated player of the two during their time together, receiving five consecutive nods to the All-Star game between the 2014-2018 seasons. Various shortcomings in the playoffs ended several once-promising Wizards teams, and a slew of lower-leg injuries cut his prime short just before he entered his 30s.

Wall played in just 32 games in his final Wizards season in 2018-19, missing two of his final four NBA seasons following his Washington exit. He briefly put up familiar numbers with the Houston Rockets, and enjoyed his final stop with a similarly brief stint with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Beal took full advantage of the available shots that opened up once primary ball-handler Wall stepped away, averaging over 30 points per game in his first two fully Wall-less campaigns. The teams he led produced considerably fewer highlights and wins, though, leading to his signing a gargantuan quarter-billion dollar contract shortly before getting traded to the Phoenix Suns.

Fans resented Beal for signing what was offered to him before hitting the road, and his reputation hasn't gotten any better for how his post-Washington play has held up. Wall, meanwhile, suffered a tragic ending to his brighter-shining career, and his retirement announcement was enough for the pair to virtually unite for one of the first times since the Wizards turned the page on that era.