Wall shares his emotions ahead of first match-up against Wizards originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
John Wall returned from a left knee injury on Saturday night to play in the Rockets' win over the Mavericks, which was great timing with Houston's next game being one he has been looking forward to for quite some time. The Rockets will host the Wizards, the team Wall was a part of for 10 years before getting traded in the deal that brought Russell Westbrook to Washington.
Wall was asked after Saturday's game how he feels about playing the team that traded him and he did his best to downplay any perceived animosity between the two sides. Though Wall technically requested a trade out of Washington, that was only after he felt jilted by the Wizards discussing a deal with the Rockets in the first place.
If it were up to him, he would have stayed with the Wizards and finished his career in D.C.
"I think I’ve got a little bit of emotions. It will be great to see some of the guys I played with," Wall told reporters.
"It’s going to be a competitive game. They know how hard I play and how competitive I am. Now I’m on the other end, not being in the group with those guys. My ultimate goal will be to try to get my team a win."
Wall, 30, is averaging 17.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds through eight games with the Rockets in what is his first season back since rupturing his Achillies in 2019. He waited over two calendar years to return from injury, all along believing he would be playing for the Wizards.
But the Wizards found a deal they liked with Houston and attached a protected first round pick to bring in Westbrook. That broke apart a partnership that had featured many ups and downs since Wall was selected with the first overall pick back in 2010.
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Wall is the type of player and person who wears his emotions on his sleeve. If he is feeling sentimental on Tuesday night, you will likely be able to tell.
But Wall also insists that this isn't the game he will get in his feelings over. He believes that will be on Feb. 15 when he makes his return to Washington for the first time.
"I think it’s not too many emotions because I’m not going back to D.C. I think that’s when it will be the most emotions, when I have the opportunity to walk back into Capital One Arena and to see the city, where I’ve been the last 10 years," he said.
Whether Wall is feeling emotional or not on Tuesday night, it will surely be strange to see him go up against the Wizards for the first time while wearing another team's jersey.
