SI article on a kid I formerly coached

SI article on a kid I formerly coached#183666

By blwall1416 - July 2nd, 2008, 10:27 am

- July 2nd, 2008, 10:27 am #183666

I posted a thread about him last year, but this is a new article & I'm glad to hear the direction his life has taken.

Once unheralded, Wall breaks out as the nation's top recruit

UNION, N.J. -- This time last summer, John Wall was a relative unknown.

He wasn't invited to the summer's showcase camps -- Rbk U in Philadelphia and the LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron Ohio -- so the 6-foot-4, 184-pound Raleigh, N.C., native took his game to Chicago. "If I had to prove myself, then fine," Wall says. "I'd go prove myself."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/w ... ml?eref=T1

#183687

By Casper - July 2nd, 2008, 1:45 pm

- July 2nd, 2008, 1:45 pm #183687

Did you coach at G-road? When?

#183690

By blwall1416 - July 2nd, 2008, 2:05 pm

- July 2nd, 2008, 2:05 pm #183690

Casper wrote:Did you coach at G-road? When?

Jan. - June 2005

#183692

By Casper - July 2nd, 2008, 2:19 pm

- July 2nd, 2008, 2:19 pm #183692

Oh cool...just wondering....did you play for them also?

I am also glad at how it seems his life has turned. "Crazy J" as he was known to many in the area was not very flattering. But in the last year he has really matured. I grew up around and worked with Dwon and he is a good guy, I'm sure his influence has been a real help. I was worried for John after the Broughton situation that he might be another kid with talent that wouldnt make it. Somewhat surprisingly, WOG has been a wonderful situation for John. WOG got a bad rep a few years back but seems to be more of a real high school now. John is an unbelievable talent, needs work on his jumper, but that can be fixed easily. In my opinion he is very Rose-esqe(1st pick in draft). Athletic, long, explosive, etc. Although he will not be playing for a team I root for, I will definitely be rooting for John.

#183699

By blwall1416 - July 2nd, 2008, 2:36 pm

- July 2nd, 2008, 2:36 pm #183699

No, I never played for them....just coached.

I told John back then that his athleticism would get him offers from a lot of schools........but it would be his attitude that would determine if the big schools came after him. I told him the story of how Coach Williams, during the recruitment of Marvin Williams, showed up at his high-school without Marvin knowing about it. Coach asked a lot of his classmates what kind of person he was off the court. He said the answers he got help solidify Marvin as a top priority, because his character was the kind he wanted at Carolina.

It appears John had to go in the opposite direction for a while before he squared himself away. I wish him the best.

By the way, the last I heard, he was a Memphis lean with strong consideration for Kentucky & Okie St....but don't count out the Wolfpack.