Ted Leonsis thanks John Wall for his time in Washington originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
It's a new era of Washington Wizards basketball. Since the Wizards selected him with the number one overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, point guard John Wall has been the face of the franchise in the nation's capital.
His decade in Washington brought both a lot of on-court success, and a tremendous amount of time and money given back to the community by Wall. He was a role model for countless fans in the D.C. area, and his legacy in the city will not be forgotten anytime soon.
That sentiment was echoed by many in the wake of the Wizards' trade with the Rockets, sending Wall to Houston and bringing back former MVP Russell Westbrook in return, including by CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Wizards team owner Ted Leonsis.
"I am very grateful to John Wall and his family for all they have done for our franchise and our community," Leonsis said in a statement released on Twitter Wednesday night. "John was the first player picked in the NBA draft and the first player we were blessed to pick under our new ownership of the Washington Wizards a decade ago. He has been a great, all-star caliber player and a fantastic citizen and leader in our community."
Wall led the Wizards to the postseason multiple times and served as the team's leading star for most of the past decade.
"I am proud of how hard John has worked to come back to the league after two years away from competing. Our fans, our franchise and I will miss him very much," Leonsis said. "I personally wish the best for him in his new city and franchise. Good health and good fortune to John Wall and all of Washington DC thanks you for your unabashed love of the game — and our community."
Leonsis isn't alone in expressing his gratitude for Wall's time in the nation's capital, as countless fans and media members shared their fond memories of the point guard as well. His impact on Wizards basketball was great, and those memories will live on with fans in the city for a long, long time.
