After nearly leading his team to an Eastern Conference Finals berth this past season, Washington Wizards point guard John Wall enters his eighth season as a pro with a massive chip on his shoulder. A loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals was a tough pill to swallow for Wall and his Wizards but there’s no doubt this team is ready to bounce back.
This offseason has been another memorable one for Wall, as he finally inked his mega-extension and was honored with his induction into the University of Kentucky Hall of Fame. Along with piling up accolades, Wall has also felt slightly disrespected with the formation of these ‘super teams’ getting all the attention and with the Wizards flying under the radar and being largely counted out.
However, this won’t stop Washington’s explosive floor general from setting lofty goals for himself as Wall recently told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst he’ll be gunning for some serious hardware this season:
“I feel like I am the best point guard in the Eastern Conference… I want to be in the MVP conversation”
Though this may seem like a long shot to some with all of the other elite talent, the thought isn’t so far-fetched. Wall turned it on towards the latter part of last season and forced himself into the MVP conversation with his relentless two-way play. Now with superstars continuing to team up, John Wall will have as much if not more responsibility to lead his team as any other marquee name in the NBA.
Wall’s backcourt mate Bradley Beal had some bold comments of his own, claiming that Washington is the best team in a top-heavy Eastern Conference:
“I feel like we’re the best team in the East I really do, that’s how we feel coming into this season”
Of course, the Cleveland Cavaliers and now the Boston Celtics remain the class of the East, but it’s evident the Wizards are tired of being overlooked and are preparing themselves to put the NBA world on notice this season. Though they may not have as much talent on paper as some other contenders, Washington has as much heart as anybody and are a team that no one wants to see on their schedule come playoff time.
