"Born ready, been ready" - John Wall insists on wanting the opportunity to fight for a starting spot in the Houston Rockets roster
The 2021-22 NBA season is running through its first quarter and the Houston Rockets are yet to field their 2021 assists leader, John Wall.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the 30-year old had approached the franchise, stating that he'd like to play and also be featured in a starting role. He also proposed that he at least be given the opportunity to fight to be in the starting lineup.
Sources: Rockets five-time All-Star John Wall will continue to sit games after he told team officials his desire is to play, start games and compete to maintain role. Houston wants Wall to come off the bench.
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However, the Rockets' management has maintained their ground on the issue, saying they cannot guarantee him a starting spot. They stated that they would prefer him to come off the bench if he was to play. So John Wall is expected to continue to sit out their games while engaging with the team and maintaining a professional outlook.
He has taken to his Instagram account to reinforce his standpoint, while subtly showing his displeasure. John Wall made a video post of himself training, while his caption read:
"Born Ready, Been Ready!! #FreeMe #WallWay."
The 5-time All-Star believes he deserves a fighting chance at a crack in the starting lineup. The Rockets have struggled this season and failed to inspire. John Wall believes he can make a difference, but the management thinks otherwise.
The franchise has maintained its standpoint and agreement reached before John Wall's signing. He is perceived to be a reserve player for the Rockets this season.
John Wall and his journey in the NBA
John Wall was selected by the Washington Wizards as the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft. He made his debut in the Wizard's game against the Orlando Magic. The game ended in a blowout loss (112-83), but Wall recorded 19 points, 9 assists, and 3 steals.
In his debut season, he recorded 16.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. His performance saw him make the 2010-11 All-Rookie First Team. The 2014 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion has spent 10 seasons in the league since his debut and the bulk of them had been with the Wizards (9).
After 9 seasons with the Wizards, John Wall was traded to the Rockets. He made it to the All-Star game for the fifth consecutive season since 2014-2018.
However, Optimus Dime suffered injuries that saw him miss out on the 2019-20 NBA season. He came back the next season with 20.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists. He has a career average of 19.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 8.7 assists.
The Rockets have had a poor early stage of the season, which has seen them rank bottom in the NBA Western Conference with a 3-16 record. Wall thinks he can offer the Wizards just the inspiration they need to turn things around. It remains to be seen if he gets that chance.