Dec 18, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) dribbles the ball as LA Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) defends in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 117-110. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

DeAndre Jordan Sends Heartfelt Message to John Wall After Retirement

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI
By Liam Willerup | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 1:41 PM ET

The 2010 NBA Draft is now down to just one active player in Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George, as the first-overall pick from the class, John Wall, announced his retirement from basketball on Tuesday. At his peak, Wall was a Top 5 point guard in the NBA, but unfortunately, injuries got the best of him.

After finishing seventh in MVP voting in the 2016-17 season and taking the Boston Celtics to seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Wall's career would take a sharp decline after that. He'd be limited to 41 games and 32 games in the following seasons, and then was dealt to the Houston Rockets before finishing his career with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Retired but never done. Doing it the #WallWay pic.twitter.com/s1pX9afHfL
— John Wall (@JohnWall) August 19, 2025

Wall appeared in just 34 games with the Clippers in his final NBA season during the 2022-23 campaign, playing alongside Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook. While they did cross paths at the time, Wall seemed to have developed a friendship with ex-Clippers center DeAndre Jordan.

So much so, the former All-NBA big man and Denver Nuggets free agent took to social media to send a message to Wall following his retirement.

@deandre via Instagram

"Congrats on a great career @johnwall!" Jordan wrote. "Can't wait to see what's next for you on your journey brother! Love."

Even though the two players never teamed up, they were both stars in the NBA around the same time. During Wall's best season in the 2016-17 year, Jordan earned his lone All-Star appearance that season and was named to the All-NBA Third Team.

John Wall's What If Career

One of our franchise all-time greats.
The definition of an era.
A lasting legacy.
A forever Wizard.

Congratulations on your retirement, @JohnWall pic.twitter.com/cdIqIw0WpT
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) August 19, 2025

As mentioned, Wall was an extremely talented player, and this was evident from the start, as he was named an All-American in his freshman season with the Kentucky Wildcats, leading the SEC in assists per game (6.5).

Wall's career would begin with the Washington Wizards, a franchise that had won just 45 games over two seasons prior to his arrival. They had success from 2005 to 2008 with stars like Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison, but Wall signified a new era in Washington.

Legend ! . All the best @JohnWall ! Enjoy ur free time ! https://t.co/b5KNPzfBS4 pic.twitter.com/vOkIZfLrYr
— Marcin Gortat (@MGortat) August 19, 2025

A two-way point guard with great playmaking skills, Wall averaged double-digit assists in three seasons, looking like the ideal guard to lead a championship team. However, the rosters around him were never the best, so who knows what Wall's career would've looked like had Washington surrounded him with the right pieces.

This article first appeared on Denver Nuggets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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