John Wall Joins Howard U, Leaving Kentucky

0:00On April 30, John Wall is stepping back in a basketball, but not on the court or at Kentucky. He's now the president of basketball operations at Howard University, the number one ranked HBCU right now. That's in Washington, D.C., bringing him home after a decade with the Wizards. Wall got drafted number one overall in 2010, straight out of Kentucky, then built a solid 13-year NBA run with the Wizards, Rockets, and Clippers. He hit all-star status five times, grabbed all NBA honors, made the all-defensive team, and even won the slam-dunk contest back in 2014. Kentucky fans might feel a sting, since Wall has been a big supporter through coach changes and even danced on stage at Big Blue Man this last fall. Still, he's diving in hands-on at Howard, joining team meetings, scouting recruits, handling NIL deals, and mentoring players alongside Coach Kenny, Blakeney, and GM Daniel Marks. This fits a hot trend where NBA stars like Steph Curry at Davidson, Tray Young at Oklahoma,

1:04and others are jumping into college front offices. Wall stands out though, picking Howard over his alma mater, Kentucky, which is still building its staff. Howard's been on fire, hitting the NCAA tournament, three of the last four years, and grabbing their first win there last March. Wall's vision could elevate them even more, and who knows, it might circle back to the Bluegrass one day.