:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71740212/1245526990.0.jpg)
If you are wondering why SB Nation Reacts hasn’t been on the page the last couple weeks, it wasn’t my choice. And it wasn’t because I was a shill for them. It was because the people behind Reacts were sick the last couple weeks. So in lieu of SB Nation Reacts, I had impromptu polls.
Today, I have another such poll. This has nothing to do with the Washington Wizards’ six game losing streak. It has to do with their broadcast coverage before last Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. During the game, the Wizards’ broadcast crew didn’t talk much about Wall’s return to D.C. for the first time WITH FANS since he was traded before the 2020-21 NBA season. Emphasis is mine.
Both BF Founder Mike Prada and Hoop District’s Neil Dalal noted that in tweets after the game.
The contrast between the Wizards’ broadcast (mentioning Wall’s return only a couple times and applying no real stakes to it) and the fans in the arena who still cheered him on when he shouted “THIS IS MY CITY” … let’s just say that spoke volumes.
— Mike Prada. (PRAY-duh) (@MikePradaNBA) December 11, 2022
So the Wizards didn't tweet out their recycled John Wall tribute video (as they did for Thomas Bryant last week) and the only Wall content shared was post-game with current Wizards
— Neil Dalal (@NeilDalal96) December 11, 2022
Plus NBCSW barely acknowledged the highly anticipated Wall homecoming during the 2+ hour broadcast pic.twitter.com/WbRp1zED6q
To be fair to Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the Wizards DID acknowledge Wall’s return in front of the fans at Capital One Arena, where they (re-) aired a tribute video to him during a timeout. It’s just that if you were watching the game on NBC Sports Washington (which MSE also owns), you could hardly tell that Wall even played for the Wizards.
I think the broadcast crew at NBC Sports Washington could and should have done a bit more to acknowledge Wall’s return to D.C. to a crowd full of fans. Here’s why:
- Local fans, even those watching on TV, know this is Wall’s first game back in Washington with fans. The 2020-21 Wizards vs. Rockets game was held during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic without fans, so it wasn’t exactly a homecoming in the traditional sense.
- Since the network is owned by MSE now, the perceived lack of coverage will be viewed as a slight at Wall by at least some Wizards fans. It makes the network seem like “State Media” to those who already don’t like the network.
- Even then-sideline reporter Chris Miller felt passionate about Wall in 2017.
john wall had the dagger last night.
— NBC Sports Wizards (@NBCSWizards) May 13, 2017
@cmillsCSN had one for colin cowherd, too. pic.twitter.com/FE4QjLtSBR
Of course, some other people believe the Wizards did enough to welcome Wall back:
- After all, the Wizards DID share his tribute video in the 2020-21 NBA season.
- They DID acknowledge his return on Saturday.
- And it wasn’t like Miller, now the play-by-play announcer and Drew Gooden said NOTHING about Wall’s return.
Ted did his part to make Wall financially set for life. He really doesn’t owe Wall anything more. Doing the minimal was appropriate given all the history.
— Stephen Powers (@DCStones1978) December 12, 2022
That’s enough from me. The poll’s below! It ends tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET!
Loading comments...