NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
John Wall’s new role brings him back to the city where his NBA career began. On Thursday, officials at Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, D.C., confirmed to ESPN that Wall had been named president of basketball operations at the school.
Wall joins a remarkable program that recently became the latest HBCU to reach an NCAA Division I men’s tournament game – a rare feat among mid-majors.
Wall was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and spent his first nine seasons with the Washington Wizards. He was named Howard’s honorary captain on January 31 and expressed interest in pursuing a front office role in the NBA.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Former Washington Wizards guard John Wall looks on before a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC on January 29, 2026. (Daniel Kucin Jr./Imagn Images)
Wall wasted no time getting involved, already participating in team meetings, evaluating recruits and helping identify potential transfer targets, ESPN reported. Wall’s role also includes shaping the program’s strategic vision, mentoring players and playing a central role in name, image and likeness agreements — responsibilities he is already expected to handle.
RUTGERS BASKETBALL COACH MOCKS NCAA ELIGIBILITY RULES AS DEBATE RETURNS TO EXPERIENCED NBA PLAYERS
Howard general manager Daniel Marks and coach Kenny Blakeney are expected to work closely with Wall in his new role.
Howard has qualified for the NCAA Tournament three times in the last four years, earning the program’s first victory last March with a First Four win over University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
Los Angeles Clippers guard John Wall shoots past Frank Ntilikina of the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California on January 10, 2023. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Wall last appeared in an NBA game during the 2022-23 season. He officially retired in August 2025 after playing 34 games with the Los Angeles Clippers. Wall also spent a season with the Houston Rockets and was named to five consecutive All-Star teams.
John Wall of the Washington Wizards watches the Miami Heat during the first half at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC on January 3, 2016. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
Wall’s decision reflects Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry’s move to assistant general manager at his alma mater, Davidson College. Curry is the first active athlete in one of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues to take on an administrative role in a college program.
A few weeks after Curry was named assistant general manager, Trae Young was also named to the same position at his alma mater, Oklahoma.
