Former Washington Wizards point guard John Wall has agreed to become the president of basketball operations at Howard University, the school announced on Thursday.
Wall, a five-time All-Star, was already working with Howard as a player mentor and talent evaluator, with an eye toward potential recruits and transfer targets.
The Kentucky product has also reportedly aided Howard staff in roster management, agent negotiations and revenue sharing.
“Stepping into this role is something I’m truly excited about,” Wall said in a statement. “Washington, D.C., has always been my second home, and it means a lot to me to be able to come back and pour into a community that’s given me so much.”
Howard, which plays in the Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, has earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament in three of the past four years.
The school won its first March Madness game this year, with a win over fellow No. 16 seed University of Maryland, Baltimore County, during the bracket’s First Four matchups.
The Wizards honored Wall in January for his efforts on and off the court in the District.
The top pick in the 2010 NBA draft officially retired last summer. In January, he served as an honorary captain at a Howard regular-season game.
“We call our program The Dream Factory because we believe anything is possible for the young men who commit to playing at Howard,” Howard coach Kenny Blakeney said. “When John served as our honorary captain this season, we learned his dream was to run an NBA front office. Given his expertise and community ties, this opportunity became a natural fit. I look forward to this role serving as a launching pad for his NBA executive career.”
During his 13-year NBA career, Wall averaged 18.7 points and 8.9 assists per game. Injuries derailed what could’ve been a Hall of Fame trajectory, as the North Carolina native appeared in just 147 games after earning third-team All-NBA honors during the 2016-17 season.
“He’s a leader. He puts his heart on the court. His physicality, his athleticism, is always shocking, but his leading ability comes out every night,” Wizards forward Kyshawn George said of Wall. “If you ask someone, ’Who’s the first Wizards player who comes to mind?’ they usually say John Wall. It’s the impact he had on this team, this organization, this city.”
Wall, 35, worked as a broadcaster during the just-completed NBA season, joining Prime Video’s inaugural effort covering the league. He also served as a pregame and postgame analyst following Wizards broadcasts on Monumental Sports Network.
Wall becomes the latest in a growing group of current and former NBA stars looking to make an impact on college rosters.
Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry and Wizards guard Trae Young are both assistant general managers at their alma maters: Davidson and Oklahoma, respectively. Brooklyn Nets wing Terance Mann accepted a similar position at Florida State, while Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is the general manager at Weber State.
The current era of college athletics, with an expanded transfer portal and sponsorship deals for players, has led many programs to consider current and former NBA players for front office roles.
“College basketball is shifting dramatically,” Wes Wilcox, a former NBA executive who is the University of Utah’s general manager, told Front Office Sports last year. “Much of what is required in the current college environment is what the NBA has been doing forever.”
Howard, with the addition of Wall, is the latest university to join the trend.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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