HSH.com Exclusive: John Wall on Why He Chose Kentucky
Words. Jason Jordan
In the end it truly was his decision.
John Wall, a 6-foot-4 senior point guard from Word of God Academy in Raleigh, N.C., ended a long and dramatic recruiting process late Monday night, picking Kentucky over Florida, Duke and Miami.
“Maaaan I’m going to the beach or something!” Wall joked when HighSchoolHoop spoke to him this morning. “I need to unwind… No, but I’m really happy that it’s all over. I feel like I made the best decision for me.”
Kentucky has always been Wall’s perceived leader. He was all set to commit to Memphis before John Calipari left the Tigers for Lexington. Still, rumors surfaced that Wall’s advisor and AAU coach Brian Clifton favored Duke and had the influence to send him to Durham.
Both Wall and Clifton maintained throughout the process that the decision was Wall’s. “That’s always what it’s come down to,” said Wall. “People had a lot of things going around, but it was always gonna be my decision.”
As is often the case, Wall used the process of elimination when deciding Monday. In the end Miami made the final two.
“I truly gave each school a real look,” said Wall. “But it came down to those two, and my relationship with Coach Cal was what gave them the nod in the end. I just felt the most comfortable with him. I think N.C. State had been on me the longest, and every coach recruited me hard. But I would have to say that coach Cal recruited me the hardest.”
There was some speculation that after the Cats signed senior Eric Bledsoe, another top point guard from Alabama, Wall would opt to go where the competition for the starting spot wouldn’t be as intense.
“I heard that a lot,” said Wall. “But that didn’t sway me at all. I actually think it’s the perfect situation because we can make each other better. Despite what a lot of people think, I haven’t been promised anything so we will be battling and making each other better in the process.”
The ability to make players better was another factor that weighed heavy in Calipari’s favor, according to Wall.
“Don’t get me wrong, I know that the other coaches could’ve made me better too,” said Wall, who is the projected top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. “It’s just that I’ve seen what coach Cal can do recently with Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans. I just feel like coach Cal can get me where I want to be the fastest.”
Wall averaged 21 points, seven assists and seven rebounds for Word of God this past season. He joins forwards Jon Hood and Darnell Dodson, centers Daniel Orton and DeMarcus Cousins and Bledsoe to cap off Kentucky’s six-man recruiting class.
Welcome to the Big Blue Nation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
congratulations john I think he is a great pick for cats. wish he would have stayed n tarheel state though. wish u the best
Say it ain’t so John?!?!?!
The Cats are gonna be toooo good!
SIGH… We almost had him on South Beacb!
I need a drink!
The best ever? Let’s think long and hard about that for a minute. I’m sure they’re all nice, there’s TOO much hype for those kids to be bums. But seriously…
MAN I DONT WANT ANY PART OF UK .THEY LOOK UNBEATABLE!!
KU!!!
At least Kansas now has some competition! And with the likes of Nova, Michigan State, North Carolina, Duke … Next season’s shaping up to be something fierce!
look all you “big time” schools all talked about how memphis is a joke they recruit thugs all that jazz.
then you turn around and pay for our coach and our recruits are you not the memphis team you talked bad about the past four years.
get a life and get a program of your own.
we will see you at the dance next year yet again.
kisses.
[...] All I’m saying is give me Wall. [...]
Nobody will challenge the wildcats next year in the SEC
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If john Wall has the test scores , then I am the next King of England. I guess Cal has a tester ready!!!!!!!!!!
[...] Well, barring injury John Wall won’t be there, but what about Eric Bledsoe? MT: Yeah he said we’ll just battle for the spot. I [...]
[...] Hatchett is the coach of Word of God Christian Academy (a.k.a. John Wall’s alma mater) in Raleigh, N.C. After coaching at Cannon School in Concord, N.C. the past few years, he was named [...]
when you were young you did not look like you do right now and i just want to tell you one more thing. I wish you would stay one more year before you go on to mba cause if you are there next year playing on kentuckys team they will be a better taem.