Happy Birthday, John Wall! His Top 5 Plays Of The 2011-12 Season

Today John Wall turns 22, a young age for a player who seems much older. In just two years in the NBA he’s transitioned from a bonafide No. 1 pick to a point guard saddled by a horrid team and newfound doubts over his ability to shake Washington from its mediocre moorings. His story should not be strange if you regularly read Dime, where his features in issues 66 (“The Breakout Issue”) and 70 (“Great Expectations”) mirrored that evolution.

It isn’t the case that anyone is doubting Wall’s physical gifts or his toughness, after averaging more than 36 minutes per in every single Washington game last season. It’s that when you’re judged by what have you done me lately, there has to be a next step beyond the jaw-dropping athleticism. In his sophomore season, his numbers across the board – his points, rebounds, assists – stayed relatively the same, while we saw minor improvements in his shooting percentage. By whatever metric you want, we desire across-the-board improvements from lottery picks early in their careers. Of course, nothing will completely overshadow his glaring .071 shooting from three last season — a stat more bewildering than Terrence Malik‘s Tree of Life — or his ho-hum player efficiency among point guards, where he was 18th among regulars.*

*Side note: How was Rajon Rondo one spot behind Wall in PER last season given his supporting cast vs. what was played with in Washington?

But again, let’s talk about the sheer promise of those physical gifts. It’s why anytime you think of him, you can’t get those electric drives out of your head. Don’t let them block what he could still become, but on Wall’s birthday, here’s a look at five plays that floored us in 2012.

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5. BEHIND-THE-BACK
Jan Vesely‘s peak to date was when he made out with his girlfriend at the 2011 NBA Draft, and yet I have to believe he could have a solid, niche career in the future as the guy who trails Wall on the break. Vesely’s fast enough to keep up for a 6-10 forward and has decent hands to catch the out-of-nowhere dimes Wall is liable to drop on him, such as on April 25 against Cleveland. Most impressive is Wall’s own control, to juggle the preceding tip, corral it, then go behind the back on the bounce with the assist.

4. BEHIND-THE-BACK PART II
Not far back I explained on Dime during a meditation on Shawn Kemp‘s top 10 dunks my hesitance to upgrade exhibition slams on lists with in-game plays. While technically in-game during All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars Challenge, this dunk comes against a defense with all the spirit of a bored matador. And still, still, it was easily one of the filthiest dunks we saw all season. It could really go on a best dunks of the season list and I wouldn’t argue.

3. OVER TYRUS
Undercutting a player on the fast break is a no-no, and Tyrus Thomas walks a fine line by continuing his path under Wall’s dunk off the steal. It’s the turn of the back at the end, like a box-out on the dunk, that makes me wonder about the intent. He gets a hand up late but he’s still an obstacle — one Wall clears with sneaky power to boot. The body control here is amazing, changing his dunk into a hurdle halfway through when Wall realizes Thomas isn’t going to divert his course. The power of the right-handed dunk, following all that agility, is enough to bring his teammates off the bench and get this almost to the top of the list.

2. STIEMSMA POSTERS FOR SALE
Right out of the gate after opening night on Christmas, it was easy to tell who had been using the lockout time as a springboard for their game and not just as a way to pass time and try out new hobbies. In what felt like a continuation of his summer playground mixtape, Wall was one of those guys who came out with plays that immediately made you take a couple of looks. Just six nights after getting a huge chase-down block on Jeff Teague, Wall nearly pulled off a felony mugging of Boston’s Greg Stiemsma.

1. CLIMBING BARON’S BACK
Maybe you’re aware that this summer, Baron Davisdebut video game included playable characters from the NBA and WNBA. Wall is not one of those players. Baron, Baron, Baron. He of all people should know this alley-oop to Wall was meant to be immortalized in a video game after his dubious role in the whole thing. Like a bad cornerback who wouldn’t make it through rookie minicamp, Davis gets caught not looking for the ball. Wall takes over from there. Good day everyone, nothing else to see here on this list.

What do you think was his best play?

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