‘It was the darkest place I’ve ever been in’: Clippers guard John Wall admits he ‘thought about committing suicide’ in the midst of two years from hell, as he opens up on dealing with the deaths of his mom and grandma, Covid and a serious Achilles injury
- John Wall injured his Achilles in a fall while at home recovering from heel surgery
- After recovering from injuries Wall did not play in 2020 after mutual decision
- Wall’s mother Frances Pulley died from cancer in December of 2019
- He admits it was the ‘darkest place’ he’s been in, and he considered suicide
Los Angeles Clippers guard John Wall has admitted he thought about committing suicide while dealing with the struggles of his past three years.
Wall hasn’t been on the court for majority of the last few seasons, with the 31-year-old having to deal with a multitude of serious injuries.
In a searingly honest interview with the Salvation Army this week, he revealed that the combination of those fitness struggles with some issues in his personal life led to suicidal thoughts.
‘I thought about committing suicide. Tearing my Achilles, my mom passing, my grandma dying a year later, in the midst of COVID,’ Wall said.
‘Me going to chemotherapy, sitting by my mom taking her last breaths wearing the same clothes for 3 days straight.’
The Achilles tear Wall alludes to was the final, and perhaps the worst, in a long stretch of injuries dating back to the 2017-2018 season.
John Wall says that he was in a dark place and considered suicide while away from basketball
In late 2017 Wall started dealing with a knee injury that would result in him having surgery on January 6th of 2018. He would go on to miss around two months before returning to action at the end of the season.
Less than a year later in December, Wall dealt with a troublesome heel injury that would prove to open the proverbial Pandora’s box. The heel not only required surgery, but sparked various other issues.
The following month Wall suffered a fall in his home which inadvertently led to his Achilles tear. To make matters worse it was revealed Wall’s initial heel injury had suffered an infection following the Achilles surgery.
Even after finally getting back on the court with the Houston Rockets, Wall only played a handful of games before suffering a grade 2 hamstring strain. The next season he and the Rockets would reach a mutual decision for him to not play, while the team focused on younger players.
Wall calls out a play while bringing the ball up court for Houston Rockets against San Antonio
Wall now reveals that a great support system behind him was what helped get through his rough time, especially following the passing of his mother.
‘The mother of my kids has been great. My two boys, that’s my motivation for me,’ he added. ‘Looking at all that I was like, “if I can get through, this I can get through on anything in life”.’
Wall is now hoping to get back to the top of his game on the court after signing a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, following a buy out from the Rockets.
Wall said during the interview that the decision to team up with other all-stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George was about ‘wanting to win’.
‘A lot of people say you look good on paper. A lot of guys, we’re at an age in our careers where we just wanna win. Ain’t about trying to be the best player, trying to lead the team in scoring, or trying to be MVP,’ Wall said.
‘I’m just happy to have the opportunity to play basketball again. I think everything I went through, and I’ve been through has all been a part of God’s plan… I get the opportunity to play with two great players, and the sky’s the limit man.’
Wall is pictured with Lebron James (far right), Ben Simmons(far left), Tristian Thompson(left), Klutch Sports founder Rich Paul (middle left) and COO Fara Leff (middle right)
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