Q&A with John Wall
Words. HShoop
John Wall, Nike Global Challenge 2008 (photo. Kelly Kline)
Depending on who you ask, John Wall is the best player in the 2009 class and the best player in the country on top of that. The lightning-quick 6-foot-3 point guard has definitely been living up to that billing at the Nike Global Challenge, dominating for stretches in his first two games against Serbia and Puerto Rico. Playing for a U.S. team that features 2010 superstud Jeremy Tyler, 2011 phenom Michael Gilchrist and fellow ’09 stars Aaron Dotson and Daniel Orton, Wall is the unquestioned leader of the group. We got up with the Word of God Christian (N.C.) product shortly after he helped Team USA knock off P.R. in a losers-bracket contest.
High School Hoop: How has this tournament been so far?
John Wall: It’s been great, you know, getting to meet different people from different countries that are some great players. You get to see how they play; it’s different and they play physical. Like over here, most guards drive and try to score. But they’ll drive and try to kick out. You see new things, and they don’t back down.
HSH: Does it feel like Team USA is a target here?
JW: Yeah, I feel like we’re a target. It hurt us to lose the first gaame, but we feel just like the USA team that’s over in China right now. LeBron and them, they’re trying to bring (the gold medal) back and accomplish something, just like we’re trying to accomplish something here.
HSH: As someone who’s ranked #1 by a lot of sources, do you feel like you’re specifically a guy with a bulls-eye on his back?
JW: When I go to camps and stuff I think I’m a target, but here I told my teammates don’t worry about the name, try your best to represent what’s across your chest, and that’s USA. Forget the individual stuff and let’s play as a team.
HSH: What have you been working on this summer?
JW: I’ve been working on my jump shot the whole summer, and my defense. Sometimes I play good defense, but sometimes, I don’t know, I just blank out.
HSH: What’s the latest on your college decision?
JW: I’ve got Memphis, Oregon, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kentucky and Baylor. Those are basically my last schools.
HSH: What are you looking for in a college?
JW: Like, I understand I’m a great player, but I know there’s things I need to work on, like my jump shot and defense. I want a coach that’s not gonna tell me I have a starting spot — I want a coach who will push me to get better and earn that starting spot.
[...] , including full game recaps, recruiting updates, and interviews with elite high schoolers John Wall, Jamil Wilson, Jereme Richmond, Aaron Dotson and Jordan [...]
JOHN WALL HYPE LANCE STEPHENSONS FALL!…..What is going on in the prep world today! I cover preps for a living I am Rivals.com walking, I went threw it as a player now I see threw as a writer! This is all a buisness we(the columnist,recruiting gurus,etc) have to keep the listeners interested! This has to be why Phenom Lance Stephenson is not even the top player in New york anymore not to mention in the country. Lance by sum publicaions was the 3rd best player in the country as a junior( only behind Tyreke Evans and “Europian” Brandon Jennings and if you were at the 07 boost moblie New York game you would agree!)But some people say his attitude is bad so people put him low in the rankings because of his attitude??? Thats Crazy if you watch Lance Stephenson play their is not a player in this class good as him PERIOD! Now lets talk about Lance vs New favorite John Wall. This reminds me of when OJ mayo was hyped so much everyone was looking for sum one to de throne him( sum thought it was Lance how quick they fall) but Derrick Rose was the name every flocked to. I’m not comparing the playes just saying!..but back to Mr. wall I think wall is a good player VERY QUICK…but other than that I dont see why everyone is hyping him up like evryone thought Lance would be hyped up like now(#1 player in the nation by rivals.com,#1 nbadraft pick in 2010 draft by nbadraft.net)so any tell me why??? Its getting so crazy both players are calling each other out like two rappers in their lyrics. Lance said, “I feel disrespected when they(recruiting sites)rank people at my position over me but once I get a chance to play them I will show them.” and John Wall must have a writer or something telling him what to say because while being interviewed by nbadraft.net he just left out Lances’ name when asked who the best playes in his class are. So we will see the outcome of this story Aug 22 at the 08′ boost mobile high school all star game…..If you want to know more about this story or how to contact me for my info email me at moneymike100@hotmail.com(highschoolhoop,dime mag let me hear fom you)
michael thompson is correct everybody is so hyped on john wall tht they forgot about lance stephenson bottom line weather lance has a bad attitude or not he is a hella of a player and u know because of tht bad attitude u have too remeber tht lance stephenson lives in brooklyn new york were he is face to face with death every day just for the fact tht he has a bright future ahead of him now dont get me wrong john wall is a good player but better then lance i dont think so i seen lance hang in there with the top recruits of 08 were talking about brandon jennings who was a terrific player broke all type of oak hill records and was ranked the number one player in his class and people can say wht ever they want about oj mayo in high school during hs jounior year he was god too all recurit sites and along comes an 8th grader by the name of lance stephenson too step up too mayo when he is a his all time high and hang him for 18 points as an 8th grader bottom line at the end of the day lance stephenson will deliver before mr.wall will on any level weather it be high school , aau, college,nba and u can beleve when the elite 24 comes lanc stephenson will show why he is really the nuber one player in his class dispite the rankings and why he got the nickname born ready
[...] players that stood out were Dexter Strickland of St. Patrick’s (NJ), John Wall of Word of God (NC), Tony Wroten of Garfield HS (WA) and Dominic Cheek of St. Anthony’s (NJ). [...]
All of these people knocking John don’t know anything about basketball. John is super athletic, can distribute the ball well. I have known him since he was 8 and he is the truth. His jumper is streaky but improving a lot… he is the truth. All of these cats sleeping on him will be the same one riding on his jock later.
Lance cant fuck with john!