Wall claiming Wizards thought he 'was done' is not true, per Brooks originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Wizards had their eyes on getting back to the playoffs this season after a two-year absence and John Wall's return to the court from an Achilles injury figured to play a major role in the team's success.
But just weeks before the regular season began, Washington decided to trade its franchise point guard to the Rockets for Russell Westbrook. It was a move that sent shockwaves throughout the fan base and made Wall himself think that the Wizards didn't believe he could come back and be the same player.
"Just seeing everybody that's over there, a lot of people that's on that side that probably didn't believe I could come back to be the person I am. And probably some people that had a little say-so into me being traded," Wall told NBC Sports Washington's Chris Miller. "I feel like it was a whole process and it wasn't just something that happened overnight. I think this was in the works. That's my motivation. Who wouldn't want to beat the team that traded them and felt like I was done?"
In response to those comments, Wizards head coach Scott Brooks denied the notion that the team thought he was, in fact, "done."
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"It's not true from our standpoint," Brooks said Tuesday night. "I told you guys from Day 1 last year that he was improving every day, he was tackling his rehab at a high level and then even last year I remember a practice in Toronto. It was amazing that he hadn't played five-on-five and then all of a sudden he just took over the practice."
He's still early into his Rockets career, but Wall has looked every bit of his old self this season. He's averaging 17.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds through eight games and most of his play has remained consistent during the James Harden trade saga.
Once he gets more minutes under his belt and the Rockets form their identity following the Harden trade, Wall's numbers should line up to what he did toward the end of his Wizards career. To Brooks, Wall is more than deserving to find his way back to stardom in the NBA.
"I knew he would be back," Brooks said. "What I do know about him is he worked his but off and he didn't give up. He had a contract where he could have just gave up, let's face it. It was generational wealth, but he just kept fighting and fighting, it was admirable.
"I wish him well, I wish him well," Brooks said. "I've been in the NBA a long time and a lot of great players have been traded. He's gonna finish up his career at a high level and I hope he does, he deserves it. The basketball gods haven't been good to him and haven't been good to us the years we were together, but it's deserving that he turns it around, he deserves it."
