The University of Kentucky has been one of the premier NCAA men’s basketball powerhouses in the entire nation under the regime of head coach John Calipari. We’ve seen endless numbers of NBA talent go through Lexington on their way to a stellar professional career.
Out of all the names affiliated with Kentucky over the past decade or so, no one embodies their winning tradition more than Washington Wizards point guard John Wall. Wall has personified a winner on and off the court since his first days in the NBA and has matured into a MVP-caliber player for the Wizards.
Last night, Wall was the first player during the John Calipari era to be inducted into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame, a high honor for a deserving person. Wall delivered a candid and emotional induction speech as part of the ceremony in which he thanked his mother Frances Pulley. Growing up with his father in prison for a large part of his childhood, Wall’s mother played a significant role in his upbringing, serving as his backbone to this day. You can watch the inspiring speech below, video courtesy of Kentucky Wildcats TV on YouTube:
The bond Wall shares with his mother is a special one and that is more than apparent with his heartfelt words. No one made more sacrifices or invested more into John Wall than his mother did and hopefully his abundant success makes up for his challenging upbringing in Raleigh, North Carolina.
During his solo collegiate season, Wall averaged 16.6 points to go along with 6.5 assists per game while leading Kentucky to a final four berth.
