John Wall had trouble sleeping the night before, with his heart and mind buzzing in anticipation of his Houston Rockets debut, a comeback from a two-year injury layoff that was delayed for another week by an NBA mandated quarantine over COVID-19 protocols.
It had been 735 days, as Wall pointed out precisely after Rockets’ 122-119 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night in Houston, since he last played in an NBA game that mattered. He had since had surgery to remove the bone spurs in his left heel that had bothered him for years, then another surgery to repair the Achilles tendon he had ruptured while recovering from that surgery, then traded in by the Washington Wizards along with a protected first-round pick for Russell Westbrook.
“It was great, man, just to get out there and have fun,” Wall said after his 22-point, 6 rebound and 9 assist in victory. “When I get between those four lines and as soon as the ball hits my hands after the jump ball, it went well. I was happy to compete with some of the best guys in this league and [demonstrate] that I have the opportunity to be one of the best point guards in this league. “
Wall said he feels “great” physically. He showed the elite speed and explosiveness that were key to making five consecutive All-Star appearances before injuries interrupted his career, scoring six of his eight baskets against the Kings on dunks or layups, including a few on one-man fast breaks.
“He looks like he’s back in his All-Star mode,” said Rockets center Christian Wood, who had 21 points and 12 rebounds.
“He was extremely aggressive, made plays and came after them defensively,” said Rockets superstar James Harden, who had 16 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter. “He looked really good, especially since he hasn’t played for two years.”
However, Wall immediately acknowledged that there was still a lot of room for improvement after his Rockets debut. He specifically pointed to his five turnovers and poor 3-point shooting (2 of 8).
“Having 22, 9 and 6 isn’t bad for my first game in two years,” said Wall, who averaged 19.0 points and 9.2 assists during his ten-year tenure with the Wizards. “I can pat myself on the back for that, and I know I will be even better in the next game.”
Wall is early in the process of developing rapport with fellow ball-dominant guard Harden, who missed time in the preseason after his brief robbery related to his request to be traded. Wall had to sit outside for a week – including the Rockets’ two-game road trip – because he was a close contact of rookie Kenyon Martin Jr., who tested positive for the coronavirus the day after getting a haircut in Wall’s apartment.
“They haven’t been together, and we’re still trying to figure out who has it and who is playing the ball,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said of Wall and Harden. ‘With my help, they will figure it out themselves. That relationship has to grow and keep getting better. ‘
Wall presented the game ball to Silas in the locker room to celebrate his first win as a head coach, but admitted that he considered keeping the ball to himself given the personal significance of the game.
“His first time as a head coach, I think he deserved it,” said Wall. “But I got the chance to keep my jersey. That will certainly go in my prize room.”