WRAL in Raleigh is reporting that UK target John Wall has been charged with breaking and entering.
Excerpt:
Raleigh, N.C. - Local high school basketball standout John Wall, one of the nation’s top uncommitted college prospects, has been cited with breaking and entering, Raleigh police said Monday.
Wall, a 6-4 playmaker, averaged 21 points, seven rebounds and nine assists for Raleigh Word of God Christian Academy this past season. He is the No. 1-ranked recruit in the country by both Rivals.com and Scout.com and among the last top players yet to commit.
Authorities said Wall, 18, was charged with misdemeanor breaking and entering in connection with an April 27 break-in at a home 3924 Laurel Glen Drive in Raleigh.
An officer saw Wall leaving from the rear of the residence and was able to detain him, police said.
John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky and graduate of UK, he covered UK football for 13 seasons before being promoted to columnist in 2000. He lives in Lexington with his wife and two sons. You can e-mail him at jclay@herald-leader.com.
Does this mean he will now sign with the Bengals?
Ok, we know very little at this point. I don’t want to throw him under the bus immediately, but unless this proves quickly to be a BIG MISUNDERSTANDING Coach Cal cannot take the risk on this kid. He needs to focus on Bledsoe and let Wall go elsewhere. With all the criticism of Cal over the “type” of kids he recruits, this situation will need to get cleared up immediately or UK needs to avoid Wall.
KC, that was great.
Will any of the schools pull their offers and pursue Bledsoe, now?
You just couldn’t make this stuff up….BTW, Great Call, KC!
This sounds much worse than the reality. The home that was involved is vacant and on the market. I googled the address from the policeman and here’s the house. Just kids messing around, but still underscores that these ‘top recruits’ are still children. Let’s not forget that.
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3924-Laurel-Glen-Drive_Raleigh_NC_27610_1108705151
John, I don’t view your added information as a positive. To me, that means he knew he was breaking into a house without permission, was likely looking for something to take and simply didn’t find anything, or he was just tagging along with someone else who took or was looking to take something. My hope was he was visiting a friends house, no one was home, and was caught leaving, so he was arrested.
The fact that the house was vacant means he did commit a crime, and was likely up to no good.
End the recruitment. I suspect Duke will also. Let Memphis or Florida have him.
I am very tired of the John Wall saga. This kid is dragging everyone along on his ego stroking ride. It’s time to sign Eric Bledsoe and move on. I believe everyone is innocent until proven otherwise, so I am not real down on him with this, but it makes it seem like a risky move.
I think the real question is what did they do inside the house. This could easily be a felony burglary and not a misdemeanor. Before Cal gambles on him, we need to hear something from the prosecutor’s office on how they are going to charge this case.
He is 18 years old, not a child. Wall has been full of himself through this whole recruiting process. He is on the verge of a major decision and he is running around breaking into houses. No one needs to take a chance of this Athlete. I was not too impressed wiht him anyways do to his character throughout the recruiting process. Than this escapade puts it over the top. We are Kentucky we simply say “Next”.
Legally, in most jurisdictions I am familiar with, misdemeanor B&E is about a very small notch above loitering on the gravity scale. It’s far, far less serious than a bar fight or a DUI. Give the kid a break, people.
I never broke into houses when I was a kid.
Sounds like a Cincinnati Recruit now…
I guess the charges make him a primary Louisville & Cincinnati recruit!
Time to get Bledsoe and prepare for Midnight Madness.
Doesn’t sound like very much. Just a few kids hanging around and probably trying to get into a vancant house. Shouldn’t shy away his top college choices. In a couple years he’d be able to buy that whole subdivision.
he’s just gona stay one year. Hell, how much can he steal in a year??????????
“Just Kids Messin around” Bull Feces. Kick all their donkees, I bet the owners are not too happy. Anyone who condones this just allow your house to be available for a party.
Cal can and will take a risk on this kid. He has taken the same risks in the past and will continue to do so, it’s what’s got him where he is. Cal’s willing to take the risk, and the bad pub for the possible reward. I wonder how many UK fans are as willing, I’d bet most.
“This sounds much worse than the reality”. It’s breaking and entering, and he’s 18 so he’ll be charged as an adult. No further details about any damage to the house, so really we don’t know what it is.
How did this happen a week ago and we are just now hearing about this?
I don’t care how good he is. Stay away from UK, punk!
Having watched Cal up close for 9 years in memphis, i can say that this incident, if it proves to be no more than what is has been reported, will not deter Cal from recruiting Wall. i probably would back off, but that is not necessarily the right answer….
Cal is about giving these kids second chances. where other schools will probably back off, my gut is Cal will press harder
Its tough when to know when tough love or forgiveness is best - this is an early test for Cal and the BBN…..
If he goes into a house with out permission vacant or not its breaking and entering. If thats what he does in his spare time let him go. Let this be a life lession for him. UK doesnt need someone like him that will tarnish the UK Program.
going to be a coin flip between the Bengals and Bob Huggins…..
I hope Bledsoe is reading these comments today. If you are, please know that many of us UK fans have wanted you over Wall from the onset. It has been apparent from quite some time that you are the better person and the better fit for the roster we have. A polite, pass first PG that can create and is a great teammate…..when is the last time we had a great PG? Eric, come here and be our next great PG, we would love to have you.
BTW….the Cincy references are hilarious.
Speculation is pointless folks. He might not have known the house was vacant or that he was trespassing. Might have walked up with friends, realized it, turned to leave and then got caught. The young man isn’t an idiot. He knows he’s got potential to make millions in a year. Doesn’t make sense to jeopardize that. Heck, considering most cops I know, he might just have gotten detained for being black or polite!
Point is, some of your judgements are pathetic. Until we get the actual story, hush!
It happened the 27th of April. I’d bet Cal knew not long after. Might have even mentioned it to Bledsoe while he was visiting.
Memphiswildcat hit the nail on the head though, Memphis was willing to take kids with problems and/or a background. It’ll be a test for UK fans on what they’ll accept to win.
from Yahoo sports
” Kentucky doesn’t have the same sterling reputation as Duke, but do you really want your first major recruiting coup to come a week after that recruit was charged with something as potentially serious as this?”
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Uber-recruit-John-Wall-charged-with-breaking-and?urn=ncaab,160959
So much for four years of private Christian schooling!!
Has Wall been in trouble before? Is it a recurring pattern for him? I don’t want to make excuses for the guy, he has been through a lot. However, as someone pointed out, he is 18, not a kid. He should know better than that.
Raleigh Word of God Christian Academny is really the ones that need to be embarrassed by this. Surely, with a name like that, this school teaches morals over and above what their star student/athelete shows us in this incident. We live in a strange world today. Much stranger than just Feb 19 even. On Feb 19, this would be called a scandal - today, it’s only a distraction.
The primary issue at play here is time. I’m not a prosecutor or legal expert, but I doubt this charge will be processed in the legal system quickly enough to allow the colleges after Wall to wait. Most will move quickly due to the “stink” around Wall or the need to flush out a roster this month. Mr. Wall’s little transgression, no matter how innocent it might end up being, will cost him dearly. Lesson learned, I hope, for his sake.
Bob Huggins will be the first to make an offer
I don\’t think we want this young man at our University. First he makes a horrible decision, and then he\’s so slow he can\’t outrun a cop. He\’s not qualified mentally or physically to be UK\’s point guard.
He’s a kid. Calipari has a history of helping young people who screwed up. This news will almost insure that Wall becomes a cat. Wait for all of the details to come out before jumping on him.
I thought I’d read where that was his third school he attended in the past 4 years. Could be wrong, but don’t think so.
I find it hard to believe the kid would do anything criminal with everything at stake, but doing something stupid…..that just proves he’s 18 years old.
UCONN kept the Williams kid on after he was caught with stolen laptops and he turned out alright.
At this point I’m really abivilent about whether we sign him or not, but we shouldn’t slam the door in his face yet.
Anyone think its funny that he opened up his recruiting to North Carolina Central this past week and now we are finding out that he was arrested during that same timeframe? I say give the kids a chance but when they abuse the process and act like they are entitled to this long drawn out attention, get over yourself. I actually think the adults that follow this melodrama and constantly let it impact their daily lives are as ridiculous as the kid himself.
John,
I worked in construction in the summers, when I was going to college and let me assure you, that just because a home is vacant doesn’t mean a crime hasn’t been committeed.
I saw plenty of homes under construction or just finished, where “kids” came in and took everything that wasn’t nailed down and sometimes even took the doors off the walls.
If our program at UK, has sunk to the level that as long as we are winning, then we will look the other way while a kid does whatever he wants, then we continue to recruit him, but if we want our program to be one that people look up to, then we walk away from Wall.
If I’m the coach, you get another good point guard and continue with our tradition and class and move on…UK is back on track and we don’t need problem kids wearing our uniform.
Typical canadian.
I love UK to death but if John Wall was to read any of these comments he would drop us from his list in a heartbeat.
You selfish b*****ds love to throw stones. Anyone who has teenagers knows that at 18 they ARE still kids. Give him a break.
If he made no forcible entry to the dwelling, then it’s merely entering — or trespassing. For that you want to deny him a scholarship? Sounds like the same people who wanted Dwight Anderson off the team for smoking pot. Get in the real world, folks.
Well well well, if it isnt the UL and Memphis fans using this as an excuse to tell UK not to recruit Wall. Not because you care about what he may or may not have done, but rather you know UK with Wall means we beat your teams easily. Well we will beat your team with or without him. Everyone makes mistakes, at least this can clear him before he goes to College.
When Cal gets though spinning this, you’ll be blaming the homeowner. Get accustomed to it KY fans.
This is a big test for UK BB and its fans. Whether we continue to recruit a one-and-done player of questionable character will say a lot about whether we are indeed a special program or just another one of the win-at-any-cost bunch that are a dime a dozen on the national sports scene. Out of respect for quality kids like Patterson and Meeks, do not hire John Wall.
“There was no forced entry at the residence and no indication that anything was taken from it. Authorities would not say what he might have been doing there.”
If there was no forced entry, it’s trespassing at best. Heck, maybe he was just looking into the window to see if it’s worth buying once he get’s that NBA money! (Unless some booster made an offer he couldn’t refuse …???)
These comments are disgusting. What happened to innocent until proven guilty? He was CHARGED with a crime, not CONVICTED. I love people infer an intent to steal just because he was accused of breaking and entering. I’m sure everyone that has posted has never been charged with any sort of crime, ever *sarcasm*. It’s not like he was dealing drugs or shooting people in the street. Give the kid a break, and yes, 18 year olds are, for the most part, still stupid kids. You don’t magically gain adult decision-making when you turn 18. Quit judging people based on a 100 word blurb. You don’t know what he was doing there, what his intentions were, or any other facts relevant to the situation. It sickens me to think people like you all sit on juries and vote when you’re so willing to form firm opinions BASED ON NEXT TO NOTHING.
Come on guys, there was a young lady involved who was also arrested (At least I think that “Bria Renea” is a girl’s name) … seems to me like he was looking for some privacy.
I did worse things than this when I was that age…thank God these posters have not been in charge of my life since then! Back off making instant opinions on little true knowledge of the event. The right thing will be done.
I suppose it is possible this is a misunderstanding, but I doubt it after hearing that the house was vacant. Once a kid is onthe team, I’m willing to give him more slack. A kid that is merely a recruit, during the last days of recruiting, does not get the same slack. He should know better. He isn’t worth the risk. We already have a guy with a temper reputation (Cousins). We don’t need another questionable character in Cal’s first year. If he were a great recruit not looking at UK, I think most suggesting that, even if he did was he was accused of, he didn’t do anything wrong would see it differently.
Some on here are making a HUGE deal out of what we know right now. Let’s assume that he was caught coming out of a house that is vacant. No damage and no tagging (as someone speculated). What has he really done?
How many of you same folks that are making a big deal about this have stepped inside a house that is for sale to look around. Whether you are a curious shopper or curious neighbor wondering how the new house on the block differs from yours.
I won’t be surprised if the whole thing is dropped by the owners…not for who he is but for what wasn’t done. Remember this happened LAST WEEK folks. If there was something major I think we might have heard about that already.
Like John said earlier, just proves he is still a kid. Everyone on here has done something that they look back on and wish they hadn’t of done. If this is the worst that Wall has done or ever does I think he would fit in nicely with the rest of all.
Coach Cal has some 25 years of experience in working with young people. His track record is pretty good. The rest of us should respect his judgment. At this point in his life, I would doubt very much that he would risk his reputation and job over any 19-year-old. If Coach thinks he okay, that’s good enough for me.
i wonder if calapari will take him now ? there would be a FLOOD OF BAD PUBLICITY IF HE DOES and right now they do not need this headache. as a previous poster mentioned YES HE IS CINCINNATI BENGALS MATERIAL !
When X was at Memphis he took a lot of criticism from sec fans like you for giving players “second chances”, Jeremy Hunt for example. Now you have a chance at a number 1 recruit and you’re willing to forgive his transgression, what hypocrites! Let the Caltucky era begin!!
I’d imagine after this incident, that mama will want to keep him closer to home at Duke.
He does not seem to have a history of this. People make mistakes…especially teens. I have had no problem with him having difficulty choosing a college. It is a tough decision that could affect him for many years to come, not just the 1 to 4 years he is college.
All the facts need to be heard in this incident and he should have a second chance from what I know right now. A poster mentioned not wanting him around quality kids like Patterson and Meeks. I think the opposite is true, quality “kids” could have a positive influence on him before he goes off into the world of the NBA. A lot of things can be learned from a basketball team and coach. One of the things that sold me on Coach Cal was how so many around the Memphis program referred to it as a family.
here we go again making excuses, what the heck is he doing in a vacant house, he sould be in the gym working on his skills, just another punk
oh this message board is hilarious. You all trash Wall up untill someone says if he’s reading this he would drop UK in a heartbeat. Then the post turn to “it’s just entering, no forceful entry…..” It’s just “entry”, that was classic. Why yall questioning your program now? good stuff people, keep it up. So what happens if Bledsoe signs with memphis wednesday and wall goes elsewhere? Cal has never played with the frontcourt being the strength of the team, like asking Mike D’antoni to coach a half court offense.
First off the kid is innocent until proven quilty, or at least that was the case last time I checked. Secondly, I will not question what Calipari does about it, the man is a recruiting mastermind. I do not care what the Memphis fans and Duke fans either for that matter have to say, Memphis fans were all happy go lucky about everything Calipari did while they had him and now all of a sudden his is a cheat and a dumb coach? Give me a break Tiger fans. And Give Wall a break atleast until its all said and done.
grizzfan79 why not stick to your own memphis boards instead of saying silly things like this on our boards -
“Cal has never played with the frontcourt being the strength of the team, like asking Mike D’antoni to coach a half court offense.”
I think 96 UMass team would beg to differ.