John Wall opens up on ‘kinda random’ retirement as he begins Amazon chapter
John Wall’s retirement from the NBA and pivot into broadcasting as an analyst with “NBA on Prime” came out of nowhere for many in August 2025.
The All-Star point guard, who was the No. 1 overall pick by the Wizards in the 2010 NBA draft, declared he was ready for any role on a team and had more left in the tank earlier this year.
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Wall told The Post he still does — but explained why he gave up on the possibility.
“I know my fans were kind of disappointed that I left. I was disappointed,” Wall, 35, said. “But I knew it was the right time. I didn’t want to keep chasing something that probably wasn’t going to be a reality.”
Wall played his final game on Jan. 13, 2023, where he scored 16 points off the bench for the Clippers in a 115-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
He was then traded to the Rockets and waived three days later.
“It was kind of weird, it was kind of random,” Wall said of his retirement, adding that opportunities to do broadcasting and sports analyst work for the G-League Showcase and NBA TV came up. And then Amazon came calling.
That was the moment he took a step back to weigh his future plans.
“When I got the opportunity to join their team [at Amazon], I was like, ‘OK do I really want to do this in the next phase, the next chapter in my career?’” Wall, who is a father of two boys, said. “It was kind of bittersweet to announce the retirement, but also happy to try and go into this next phase, this next career.
“And is it meant for me? I think I got a lot of love from it. And I think when Amazon Prime reached out I was like, ‘OK, why wouldn’t I want to be on this great and what they have going.’ So I announced my retirement and went all in for this.”
Wall shared the news on social media, including a video narrated by himself reflecting on his accomplishments on the court — from his high school playing days at Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina, becoming a top prospect at Kentucky and the NBA, where he was a five-time All-Star with the Wizards.
“Today, I’m stepping off of the court, but not away from the game,” Wall said in the video. “Basketball will always be in my life, and new opportunities present themselves. I feel now is the time to walk confidently into my next chapter.”
His caption read, “Retired but never done. Doing it the #WallWay.”
Wall leaned on his inner circle while contemplating his decision.
“I got a great team I got a great family, great support system through everything I’ve been through, basketball, on and off the court, and helped me get through a lot of things I was going through in my dark times,” he said.
“So I felt like when this moment came, They were like, ‘Are you ready? Are you sure?’ That’s why I said bittersweet and kind of happy at the same time, because I know I still have a lot left to give, I still love to play the game.
“… And sometimes God throws things in there that shows you what’s next for you and I think this is the next phase for me, is sports analyst and broadcasting. And I’m going to attack it just like I did with basketball — trying to trying to get better ever day and be great at it every day. And I think with a team around me and the great people i work for we’re they’ll help me get there.”
NBA on Prime’s inaugural season tips off with a doubleheader — Knicks vs. Celtics and Lakers vs. Timberwolves — on Oct. 24.
Wall, who had stints with the Rockets and the Clippers, dealt with injuries in the latter half of his career — including an infection from a left heel surgery that almost led to the amputation of his left foot, followed by a ruptured left Achilles tendon in 2019.
Wall, an elite two-way player who earned All-Defensive second team honors in 2015, finished his NBA career with averages of 18.7 points and 8.9 assists per game.
“The only thing I would say I would change with my career is the injuries but that’s a part of the game. And how many great players we can talk about that if they didn’t have those injuries, what would their career be like,” Wall, who was the 2014 slam dunk champion, said.
“So I don’t really dwell on nothing and think about nothing that I could have done differently. It’s just the injuries I wish didn’t happen because I understood what I could’ve been and what I as to the league. But’s all part of God’s plan and this is my next phase and I’m excited for it.”
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