John Wall has finally arrived in New Orleans for his fourth consecutive NBA All-Star Weekend. Though he was playing late last night, he wasted no time getting on the NBA media circuit as he joined the set of ESPN’s First Take, hosted by Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman, and Molly Qerim. You can watch highlights above.
Here are some of the major highlights:
- Stephen A. Smith complimented Wall, noting that he has paid more attention to the Wizards in the last couple months. He is impressed with Wall’s two-way play, and asked him how it feels “to get the recognition he deserves.” Wall responded that he was happy that he’s getting more recognition, which also comes with winning.
- Kellerman asked Wall who the best point guard is in the NBA. Wall said that he himself was. Kellerman had a follow up question on how he would distinguishes himself from folks like Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, and Kyrie Irving. Wall’s response was that he’s an all around player. That’s kind of a jab at the Kyrie and even the Steph fans of the world.
- Smith tells Wall that his impression of the Wizards is that “they want Cleveland” and would be disappointed if the Cavaliers weren’t an Eastern Conference opponent. Wall responded that defeating Cleveland is a goal because they are the two-time defending Eastern Conference Champions, but he didn’t shed too much light on it.
Anyway, it feels good seeing the Wizards and their stars featured on national television for winning. Here’s to hoping that Wall wins the Skills Challenge Saturday and the MVP award on Sunday!