HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 02: Eric Gordon #10 of the Houston Rockets celebrates a play with John Wall #1 during the fourth quarter of a game against the Sacramento Kings at Toyota Center on January 02, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
As John Wall gets ready for the next chapter of his NBA career, the All-Star guard has decided to release a letter this Thursday on The Players’ Tribune.
Wall explained just how hard life got for him, especially following the death of his mother. He reached the point where he thought about taking his own life.
“I was this close to taking my own life,” Wall wrote. “That’s a hard thing to tell the world. But if you can say one thing about me, it’s that I’ve always been real, and that’s not going to change today. I can’t sugarcoat it. The truth is… two years ago, I was in a really dark place and I just couldn’t see a way out.”
Wall detailed how he went from experiencing one of the best moments of his life to dealing with countless hardships.
“In 2017, I’m jumping up on the announcer’s table in DC after forcing Game 7 against Boston, and I’m the king of the city. I’m getting a max extension, thinking I’m a Wizard for life,” he continued. “A year later, I tore my Achilles and lost the only sanctuary I’ve ever known — the game of basketball. I ended up with such a bad infection from the surgeries that I almost had to have my foot amputated. A year later, I lost my best friend in the whole world, my mom, to breast cancer.”
Wall said everything he did on the court was for his mother. He wanted to make sure she was safe for the rest of her life.
Eventually, Wall came to the conclusion that he needed help. Once that happened, he started turning his life around.
As you’d expect, the NBA world is applauding Wall for sharing this story. Fans, media members and players are showing support for him this Thursday.
Wall finished his tear-jerking letter with a statement that should give people the courage they need this Thursday. He wrote, “I’ve been through some of the darkest times you can imagine… and yo… I’m still here.”
Maybe this story from Wall will help others who are fighting similar battles, and if that’s the case, what an accomplishment that would be.
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