(H-L photo)
So John Wall is a little frustrated. Or he should be smiling more. Or his feelings were rubbed the wrong way when John Calipari mentioned publicly, in the face of fans slamming Patrick Patterson, that even the Wonder-Wall had an awful game at South Carolina. The truth: He did. So did others. Time to move on.
But Wall’s post-game comments after Saturday’s bounce-back win over Vanderbilt appeared to show that the freshman hasn’t moved on.
Here’s the neon-sign of a quote: “I didn’t think I played that bad. I don’t know what to expect. He’s probably going to say I played bad today, too. I just try not to listen to him and go out and play basketball and try and help my team win.”
Words from a kid not used to criticism. Fact of the matter is Wall has not played well, of late. Or not as well as he had played previously. Over the last three games, the freshman has made just 15 of 40 shots from the floor. He dished out nine assists against Vanderbilt, but also turned it over seven times. As for South Carolina, Calipari appeared most upset that Wall didn’t just come down with an off-target lob pass, instead of trying to score “from his hip,” as the coach said, and throwing up a no-chance shot. It was a freshman mistake, and despite the accolades and the Sports Illustrated cover, Wall is still a freshman.
Plus, this is what happens in conference play. League teams know how to scout and defend other league teams. It looks to me that SEC teams are being more physical with Wall, trapping him more, trying to attack his dribble. It’s something new and different and Wall will have to adjust. He will adjust. He’s too good not to adjust.
He’s also been usurped a bit in the pecking order. DeMarcus Cousins is receiving the most attention now. South Carolina coach Darrin Horn even went so far as to say that while he can see why people project Wall as the overall No. 1 NBA draft pick, he’s not sure that Cousins isn’t the No. 1 pick. Saturday, Vandy’s Kevin Stallings marveled at Cousins’ skill around the basket.
Wall has plenty of skills, as well, and he’ll be just fine. It’s a long season. There is always ebb and flow. Teams have had 21 games to watch John Wall, to devise a plan of attack. Now, it’s Wall’s turn to attack back.
Mid season slump. Understandable for a freshman. Wall will be fine. He’s dialed back his more explosive moves and should be encouraged to just go out and “do his thing” which is often very spectacular. Even when he fails occasionally it is not time dial back JOhn Wall. He is the ignition for the team to make a move to elite status in the NCAA
I agree, Paul. Not even sure it qualifies as a slump, by most players’ standards.
John,
I am not beating you up over this, but I think that it is important to remember we have unreal expectations on our team. JW included. He is uber talented, but he is a kid. Pat is older and more mature and can handle the pressure.
I get really frustrated with our fan base for what do to these kids.
I know you were not attacking and just reporting things from your view, which is much better than my own. Keep up the great work, and let’s see some more spreadsheets!
There have been a dozen or more shots where Wall has just missed close shots off of the front of the iron in heavy traffic. If he starts hitting those shots I’m not sure this will even be a discussion.
The reason Wall is taking flack from most people is the game that Downey had. Sportswriters are annoiting Wall as the sure #1 pick in the draft and Downey is not even on anyone’s mock draft, yet Downey has this great game and Wall was average at best. Fans are waiting for Wall to play every game the way Downey played in this one game. I know that Wall has a much better cast of players around him, but fans expectations are always overblown and we have not yet seen Wall take over a game and be unstoppable. Face it, Wall got schooled by Downey and fans want to see him react on the floor.
David, I agree with you completely. We forget that Wall is a freshman. This is likely the first time a coach has publicly said something negative about his play. It’s the first time that teams with athletes have attacked his offensive game. But John is a player of superior skill. I think in the end he’ll more than adjust.
I totally agree with what you said John. He is not used to criticism and that may be the biggest adjustment he will have to make thus far in his career. It’s time to move on and focus on the task at hand.
Maybe YOU want him to play every game like Downey did, but I don’t want to see John Wall go 10 for 30. If John isn’t living up to your expectations, I know 346 other Division I teams who would take him in a heartbeat, not to mention the pros.
I think John Wall needs to learn that some criticism in constructive. We all know you are going to have bad games. The issue is whether you learn from them or not.
Sometimes you need to be criticized, even if it hurts, to build you back up again.
John, actions speak louder than words, don’t get to down on yourself and don’t speak out on helpful critic…Take your skills and frustration to the Court, show yourself and others calm in the eye of the storm…then like a hurricane you will bring the house down with your play…attitude is a small thing that makes a big difference, just ask DeMarcus.
John Wall saying that he’s not going to listen to his coach is the most disturbing thing I’ve seen a UK player do since Liggins wouldn’t get off the bench for Gillespie. Disrespecting the authority and opinion of your coach is the kind of crack that can bring down the wall.. NO pun intended
Chris thank you, I have been saying this all along and getting blasted for it. Everyone is making excuses for Wall’s comments when in fact they should be almarmed that a player says to the media that he tries not to listen to his coach!?!?!?!1 Come on Big Blue fans take of them blue tinted glasses! NBA players get fined for this type of nonsense.
John-
Great point. This is a kid who is probably being criticized for the first time, in a long time.
Like any great coach, Calipari knows better than Wall himself what the player is fully capable of. Just a blip on the radar, which I promise, will make Wall a better player in the end.
Aaron
Interesting timing for this mini non-troversy. Though only 28 days, February can often feel like the longest month for a college basketball player, particularly a freshman. You\’re already 20+ games in, you\’ve been going at it non-stop for 15 weeks, and the cold, depressing Kentucky winter is setting in. And now teams will be seeing Wall and UK for a second time, planning adjustments, etc. Should be very exciting to see if the Wildcats are up to the challenge. Methinks they will be.
John,
Whenever we feel team isn’t where “we” want it to be, go back exactly one year ago when BG was in charge………feeling better now??? What I see, and I’m just speculating is Wall’s frustration is that to a degree he’s had to dial his game/speed back a notch due to ascension of the Big Boogey. It seems as though Cousin’s has progressed in a straight up learning curve while Wall’s best games were at the beginning of season. Getting an “Are we jellin?” middleground where both guys are getting their opportunities/warm fuzzy coach speak is where they must get to. That,along with what we all must be thinking that Patterson will elevate his game remainder of the year with “complimentary” players such as Bledsoe, Liggins and Miller filling in the gaps remains our road to the Promised Land of #8 banner hanging in Rupp. This team if it held together with no one opting out for NBA after this year would be a legitmate threat to run off 3 or 4 straight titles. In that no chance exists with Wall gone and Cousins all but gone along with Patterson ( who better come out of his funk, self imposed it is not) whose stock has to be falling somewhat, I believe an urgency to win the title will envelope the team when push comes to shove and Wall’s finest moments lie ahead this season. One last thing, this is the closest I’ve seen anyone come to having a “me” moment with Wall’s “frustration.” That cannot continue.
Wall’s comments sounded and came out just like the media is portraying them, I thought the same thing when i read it, I was like “wow”. As a UK fan it was very alarming and you now have 99.99% of our fans saying it is no big deal when in fact comments like that coming from players is a huge deal. If this was another star player from a different team UK fans would have a field day with this.
This is obviously something of a big deal, judging by the way UK made Wall avaliable to talk to the media today so that the guard could say he and Calipari met and everything is fine. Then in his meeting with the media, Calipari didn’t disavow the situation. Instead, he said it’s a teaching moment. The videos are now up on the blog.
Seriously, this is not a story. This is media sensationalism, ESPN has jumped on board, and run a story out of context, AGAIN!!!
kentuckysportsradio.com has the much much much less sensationalized version.
Chris, any time a player, especially a player with the profile of a John Wall, says he’s “trying not to listen” to the coach, that’s a story. The story wasn’t sensationalized. It was reported.
National media types are trying to knock him down a notch and sell one more newspaper. Since he’s not from Duke or UNC let’s make this a HUGE HUGE story, back it up with some twitter, facecrook, etc. (because that’s true stuff…right) & put it on PTI and SC. Every little negative story that can get some national media will cost Wall $$$$ (eventually), but that only matters today, because in 6 months they’ll be the same ones begging for an interview with him. So I say “John don’t forget these people and freeze them out later when they want a piece of you. When you do that they will dry up and fade away, or change their sensationalizing ways.”
“HUGE, HUGE story”? Funny, I just looked at ESPN’s college basketball page and the only mention of Wall is Pat Forde re-tweeting Brett Dawson’s tweet quoting Wall saying he and Calipari loved each other.
If it’s not on PTI &/or SC, I will humbly & gladly retract my previous statements.
Did anyone bother to ask John Wall to expound on the quote to provide context or was it just more interesting to let it hang out there on its own? (NOTE: this is a rhetorical question with an obvious answer)
Would you prefer that a 19-yr-old kid think about how poorly he played (and the coach acknowledged) his last game out? Do you expect that same kid to be so media-savvy as to clearly articulate that he is just trying to focus on the game at hand? (NOTE: again with the rhetoric)
Christopher, sorry but you lost me there somewhere.
I don’t usually stick up for Duke and UNC in the ACC bias debate, but I have to think if Kyle Singler came out and said he wasn’t going to listen to Coach K, that would be quite a story.