When athletes are in the twilight of their career, it’s sometimes difficult to know exactly when to hang it up.
And for five-time NBA All-Star John Wall, that moment has come a bit full circle. This time last year, Wall was playing in the G League Winter Showcase hoping to find his way back onto an NBA roster. This year, Wall called the event as a broadcaster.
According to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, while Wall has yet to officially retire from basketball, he’s taking an interest in being a broadcaster. The former No. 1 pick handled analyst duties at the G League Winter Showcase in Orlando this past weekend, calling two games in the span of five hours.
Wall last played in an NBA game in January of 2023, and though he still hopes for one last shot in the league, it seems he’s looking towards his second act. Per Reynolds, “The idea (of becoming a broadcaster) was born in a fairly simple way. When he is home in Miami, watching games with friends or his kids, they evidently all end up telling him the same thing.”
“They’re like, ‘Shut up and let us watch,'” Wall said.
2025 might be a decent time for Wall to explore a broadcasting career. The NBA is set to begin media rights agreements with two brand new broadcast partners: NBC and Amazon. Both companies will be looking to fill its rosters with talent old and new. Wall certainly has the name recognition with fans that would make him an attractive option for any network.
The question for now seems to be whether Wall wants to fully commit to television, or earn one last chance on an NBA roster.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.