21. 2010: John Wall, Washington Wizards
Remember when I said that Ben Simmons was far from the only good passer in the league? Allow me to present to you John Wall. When the former Kentucky Wildcat is laser-focused, he is one of the most gifted playmakers in the NBA.
When he isn’t being the subject of a bad Colin Cowherd take or openly feuding with his teammates or yelling at his coach, Wall has helped elevate the Wizards to something resembling respectability, or at least consistent playoff appearances.
He joined the team during the tail end of the Nick Young/JaVale McGee era of wackiness in D.C. and eventually overcame his horrid long distance shooting (particularly his 7.1 percent mark from 3-point range in 2011-12) to become one of the best point guards in the league.
Of course, Wall’s bread and butter is still his blinding speed forcing the defense to pack the paint, which puts them at the mercy of Wall’s court vision.
In parts of nine seasons in Washington, Wall has averaged 19.0 points, 9.2 assists, and 4.3 rebounds with a 19.5 PER. His 44.4 win shares as of Dec. 22 places him fifth all-time among Wizards players.
Wall is not a transcendent point guard even though the Wizards pay him like one. But his athleticism and preternatural passing helped bring the Wizards back to competence, which was a tall task on its own.