John Wall. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Five-time NBA All-Star opens up about mental-health issues

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Renzo Pocholo Salao | Last updated 3/13/24

Former Washington Wizards point guard John Wall has opened up about the darkest point of his life.

Wall made an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of “The OGs” podcast hosted by former NBA players Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem.

Wall spoke candidly on a variety of on-court topics. His appearance ended with a sobering discussion on mental health and the former All-Star’s own personal struggles.

The Raleigh, N.C., native detailed how his mental-health issues in 2020 nearly resulted in him taking his own life.

“If it wasn’t for my two boys, I would’ve killed myself. I put a gun to my head twice and a lot of people that were close to me and my friends at the time didn’t know. … That’s when I was in my darkest moment, trying to figure out to find happiness,” said Wall.

John Wall reveals he put a gun to head twice and almost committed suicide

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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 12, 2024

Wall was drafted No. 1 overall by the Wizards in 2010. He has made five All-Star teams and was named third-team All-NBA for the 2016-17 season. Despite a relatively successful career, Wall has arguably fallen short of the sky-high expectations others had for him coming out of Kentucky over a decade ago.

Wall shared insights about his depression in a 2022 article he wrote for The Players Tribune.

Wall played for the Los Angeles Clippers last season. He averaged 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 0.8 steals per game — all career lows.

Wall remains a free agent and currently resides in Miami. He expressed interest in joining a Western Conference contender earlier this season but remains unsigned.

If you are in the United States and you or a loved one have contemplated suicide, call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to connect with a trained counselor.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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