John Wall has a new basketball gig in Washington, D.C.
The longtime Wizards point guard-turned-Prime Video commentator was announced as the new president of basketball operations for Howard on Thursday. ESPN first reported the news.
Wall becomes the latest NBA player to get involved with a college basketball program. James Harden has become an NIL donor for Arizona State, his alma mater, and players such as Terance Mann (Florida State), Trae Young (Oklahoma), Stephen Curry (Davidson), and Patty Mills (Hawaii) are all general managers or assistant GMs at various programs.
“Stepping into this role is something I’m truly excited about,” Wall said in a statement. “Washington, DC has always been my second home, and it means a lot to me to be able to come back and pour into a community that’s given me so much. Howard is an HBCU program that’s proving to the world that Black Excellence has no limits. To be part of what is building here and help shape the future of these young men is something I take a lot of pride in.”
The 35-year-old Wall, who retired in August, has long held ambitions of one day running an NBA front office. “I always said I wanted to be a general manager of a team,” Wall previously told Front Office Sports.
The Bison thought they could help with that.
Three months ago, Wall served as Howard’s Captain of the Day, a program tradition that brings in a famous alum or notable member of the community to speak with the team and sit on the bench during the game. During his visit, the former Kentucky star found himself talking to Bison GM Daniel Marks, a former NBA scout. Wall reiterated to Marks that he wants to run an NBA team in the future.
His comments came amid the wave of fellow All-Stars such as Curry and Harden being involved with their alma maters, which is why the two sides pushed to formalize the relationship. Wall and Howard kept in touch following his Captain of the Day stint, which culminated in Thursday’s news.
Notably, Howard is coming off one of its best seasons in program history. The Bison went 24–11 under coach Kenny Blakeney and won its first NCAA Tournament game in program history before losing in the first round. Wall will work with Blakeney and Marks in his new role.
“We see this as a launching point for his executive career,” Marks told FOS. “We can help him get the exposure to roster building, name, image and likeness, salary cap management, skills that would translate to him for a future front-office career and align our program with one of the most impactful players in Wizards history.”
During his playing career, Wall had a reputation as a basketball savant, even among fellow pros. He could be found watching a random high school or college game on his phone in the locker room after a game. The Bison have already started tapping into that; Wall has already been involved in the Bison’s portal strategy sessions, is in the coaching staff’s group chat, and has helped evaluate the roster and potential recruits after the team’s season ended.
A five-time All-Star, Wall played nine of his 11 NBA seasons with the Wizards after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2010 NBA draft. He made roughly $276 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac. His role with Howard will be part-time due to his broadcast commitments with Prime Video and Monumental Sports.
