Great Expectations: Can John Wall save the Wizards?

Wall won't be able to resurrect the Wizards by himself. (Pic via tippingglass.wordpress.com)

As the 2010 NBA Draft approaches, a John Wall remains epicenter of the pre-draft discussion. From his dance to his game, Wall has stolen the spotlight.

Wall has already been anointed as the savior of the Washington Wizards, a franchise plagued by a roster filled with young, immature players and an aging, overpaid, gun-toting guard who will be almost impossible to move in the offseason.

Can John Wall really save the Wizards?

The sensationalist sports media hopped on the John Wall bandwagon even before he had played his first game. He was the next big thing. And he didn’t disappoint in his debut, throwing down reverse jams, hitting clutch jumpers, and dominating the NIT season tip-off at Madison Square Garden.

Wall completely stole the spotlight in one of college basketball’s brightest stages.

As the season progressed, the accolades kept pouring in. Kentucky dominated what was turned out to be an awful SEC. Wall’s signature play–a transition dunk over Georgia’s Travis Leslie, drew praise from all circles; even NBA analyst Charles Barkley said it was one of the best dunks he had ever seen.

A point guard cupping the ball and throwing it down with his off-hand over a specimen like Leslie is pretty impressive. But for all the jaw-dropping plays, Wall wasn’t necessarily a dominant force on what was arguably the most talented team in the country.

His athleticism is undeniable. Beyond that sexy aspect of his game, Wall’s jump shot is poor, his mid-range game a work in progress, and his defensive skills fairly undeveloped.

He clearly has the potential to be great, but potential can be a dangerous word.

Entering the 2010 Draft, John Wall is essentially Russell Westbrook, only with 457,000 times the hype. Both players have dynamic athleticism. Westbrook has improved his outside shot, but it’s still a work in progress. Wall’s shooting percentage plummeted when SEC teams dared him to shoot from the perimeter.

Even given his improvements, Russell Westbrook would never be anointed as a savior of one of the NBA’s worst franchises. Why then, should Wall be considered the saving grace for the Wizards simply because he is more hyped?

Wall isn’t the only piece the Wizards need. He is the first piece, but perhaps not even the biggest piece. The individual talent of Derrick Rose and Deron Williams, both budding superstars with more polished skills than Wall, hasn’t been nearly enough to propel their respective franchises to the next level.

Becoming a consistent contender takes time, money, and sheer luck.

John Wall isn’t the savior. He is merely the first step in what will be a long journey back to respectability.

Wall, Wildcats, remind us that you can’t win if you can’t shoot

John Wall and Coach Calipari's marriage came to an end Saturday thanks to an awful shooting performance. (Pic via thebiglead.com)

Heading into the NCAA Tournament, it appeared that only two things could derail Kentucky: Inexperience and inability to shoot from the perimeter. Both of those things happened Saturday in Syracuse, as West Virginia brought the John Wall experience to a close with a 73-66 win over Kentucky.

To say the Wildcats struggled to shoot the ball would be an understatement.

Kentucky shot 34 percent from the field in the game, including a historically bad 4-of-32 from long distance. The Wildcats shot just 16-of-29 from the free throw line.

John Wall and Eric Bledsoe shot a combined 5-of-14 from the charity stripe.

Few teams in recent memory have featured the athleticism of this year’s Kentucky squad. Wall, Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, and Patrick Patterson are among the most athletic players at their respective positions in the entire country. That means run-outs galore and easy baskets at a moments notice.

Statistically, Kentucky isn’t a horrible shooting team. But you would never know that by watching the Wildcats shoot.

As good as Wall is, he has a horrendous looking shot that rarely yields good results. He utilizes an old-school set shot when he shoots 3’s, barely getting off the floor and leading to awful misses, reminiscent of LeBron during his early years in the NBA.

Bledsoe is a 38 percent 3-point shooter, but has tendency to miss long and miss badly, especially when he decides to elevate on his shot. Patrick Patterson, Darius Miller, and Darnell Dodson can’t shoot unless they are wide open and standing completely still.

Wall took over numerous games this season by driving the ball to the rim with reckless abandon. But when teams are able to cut off the driving lanes, he doesn’t have the mid-range game to consistently be effective. He might be more athletic and assertive than Derrick Rose circa Memphis, but he certainly isn’t as smooth.

Rose’s shot got better during his one year in college. Wall’s seems to have gotten worse.

Regardless of athletic ability, the 3-point line is the great equalizer in college hoops. That’s why Kentucky is going home and West Virginia’s dream is still alive.

John Wall to sign with Kentucky

Wall has decided to sign with John Calipari and Kentucky.

Following the news that Patrick Patterson had decided to return to Kentucky for his junior season, I thought all Kentucky needed to become a 2010 Final Four favorite was a solid point guard.

It looks like the Wildcats have found what it needed.

John Wall, arguably the best point in the nation, is expected to sign with Kentucky after considering offers from Miami, Duke, NC State, and a host of other schools.

Wall is more of a scorer, but is also a great ball-handler and a good passer.

He makes Kentucky a top-5 team, no questions asked.

John Calipari has his work cut out for him, but I think he will be able to harness his young talent.

Right now, Kentucky has 16 players on scholarship heading into next season. The NCAA only allows 13 players to be on scholarship, so something has to give.

I just can’t wait for March Madness.

Stay tuned.