Clippers’ John Wall considered suicide while in ‘darkest place’
John Wall #1 of the Houston Rockets reacts prior to tip-off against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on December 13, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP
Five-time NBA All-Star John Wall said he considered suicide after a serious injury and the deaths of his mother and grandmother.
Wall made the remarks at a dedication event for his late mother at the Salvation Army in his hometown of Raleigh, N.C.
Wall went through a series of injuries and has played in just 113 games over the past five seasons.
The point guard began spiraling downward after slipping at home and rupturing his Achilles in early 2019 while a member of the Washington Wizards.
His mother died of breast cancer late in the year and his grandmother died during the pandemic. As the country dealt with COVID-19, Wall was also battling in his inner self each day.
“Darkest place I’ve ever been in,” said Wall, who recently signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. “At one point in time, I thought about committing suicide.
“I mean, just tearing my Achilles, my mom being sick, my mom passing, my grandma passed a year later, all this in the midst of COVID and at the same time, me going to chemotherapy, me sitting by my mom taking her last breaths wearing the same clothes for three days straight laying on the couch beside her.”
Wall said he began to see a therapist and said that helped him work through his pain.
“A lot of people think ‘I don’t need help. I can get through it at any time,'” Wall said. “But you’ve got to be true to yourself and find out what’s best for you.”
Wall, who turns 32 next month, was a big-time star for the Wizards before knee and leg injuries began taking their toll.
He was an All-Star for five straight seasons from 2013-18 and averaged a career-high 23.1 points during the 2016-17 season.
Wall was traded to the Houston Rockets during the 2020-21 season as part of the trade for Russell Westbrook. He played in 40 games for Houston that season and then sat out last season while the rebuilding club looked for a trade partner.
Houston waived Wall in June and he joined the Clippers in early July.
Having Kawhi Leonard and Paul George as teammates is something that perks up Wall’s spirits.
“You can tell I’m kind of smiling a lot more, all those types of things,” Wall said. “I get an opportunity to play with two great players and the sky’s the limit.”
Wall has career averages of 19.1 points, 9.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 613 NBA games. He was the No. 1 overall pick by the Wizards in the 2010 draft out of Kentucky.
