John Wall takes his role as a franchise player off the court even better than he does on the court. He has adopted Washington, D.C. as his second hometown and has done wonderful things for the community in his decade in the nation’s capital. In his latest charitable act, Wall is raising money to provide rent assistance to Ward 8 residents impacted most by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ward 8 community in Southeast D.C. is where the Washington Wizards have built their practice facility and where Bright Beginnings, another organization Wall works closely with, resides. You can donate or apply for assistance at 202assist.com.
“DC has been my second home for 10 years now, and I have always had a strong connection to the community,” Wall said. “After learning how COVID-19 has affected the residents of Ward 8, I felt that I needed to act which is why I have partnered with the city. I hope that others will join me to help those in need during these uncertain times.”
From Back to School backpacks or Thanksgiving turkeys, Wall has been giving back to the D.C. community for years. He shows up to the event and interacts with the community for several hours. From his perspective, he would have loved to meet a sports superstar when he was a kid and now he can provide that opportunity to put smiles on faces. Raised by a single mom who has skipped paying the light bill so he could play in a basketball tournament, Wall understands tough times.
.@JohnWall has a message for DC's Ward 8 community: "Just know we haven’t forgotten about you. We're still thinking about y'all over there. … This is a big reason why I wanted to do 202 Assist because I understand what they're going through."
Donate at https://t.co/uVj18V094d pic.twitter.com/72ipOYly48
— Hoop District (@Hoop_District) May 26, 2020
For the first time since March, not coincidentally at a Special Olympics event that Wall officiated, the five-time All-Star spoke to the media about his latest initiative and basketball in general.
- Wall is staying in shape and continuing his Achilles rehab during quarantine because he has a half-court gym, weights, and an AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill for when he is not biking dozens of miles through the DMV. He will be ready for the 2020-21 season whenever that may be. Confident as ever, Wall said he is feeling “110 percent.”
- Many in the organization have raved about how Wall has been able to improve other aspects of his game during his rehab such as his jump shooting. A 32.4% career shooter from deep, Wall did not want to put a target percentage on what he hopes to shoot next season and cited the fact that he often throws up prayers at the end of quarters that taints his percentage.
- There is hope for the 7th annual John Wall backpack giveaway. Still a few months away, Wall and his team are looking at ways to distribute backpacks to the area youth in a safe manner.
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