Wall reflects on Wizards’ failure to draft ‘special’ Klay originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
If Washington Wizards decision-makers had listened to John Wall, Klay Thompson never would have been a Warriors player – much less a franchise legend and four-time NBA champion.
Reflecting on what could have been, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft shared an anecdote about his wish for Wizard officials to draft Thompson, who then was making the jump to the pros following three years at Washington State.
After all, Wall was a participant in the Warriors guard’s pre-draft workout in the nation’s capital, taking in Thompson’s quality head on.
“Yeah, I think we should have for sure took [Thompson],” Wall said. “A sharpshooter, you know. He can shoot the ball like that.”
And according to Wall, Thompson’s workout was powered by a memorable shooting masterclass.
“Probably one or two shots,” Wall said when asked how many shots Thompson had missed. “He was fire, bro. So, I knew [Klay Thompson] was special…”
Wall, who was highly touted out of Kentucky for his raw speed and ball handling abilities, was drafted to the NBA a year prior to Thompson.
In 2012, NBA All-Star Bradley Beal emerged, pairing up with Wall and Jan Veselý, the Wizards’ No. 6 overall pick in the 2011 draft.
If the Wizards would have followed Wall’s vision, the point guard is convinced Washington would have thrived.
“That was 2011,” Wall added. “Because then, Klay was a great defender at that time, too. He was a great defender, so he probably would have played the three for us, Bradley two.
“And then you had me, Nenê and [Marcin Gortat]. Like, it would have been amazing with the pick-and-roll we had.”
What could have been a team featuring Wall, Thompson and Beal likely would have written a memorable NBA story of its own.
Yet the important question is: Why didn’t the Wizards draft Thompson?
“They [Wizards] be having their reasons,” Wall said. “I didn’t say it was good, OG. But I just say they got their reasons.”
Source Agencies
