HoopsHype.com Rumors

John Wall and Bradley Beal are both expected to be among the 24 players to participate in USA Basketball’s minicamp in July. Team USA officials have already begun the process of tracking potential talent for the 2014 World Cup in Madrid and 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the Wizards’ back-court duo will soon have a chance to leave an impression. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, John Wall, USA Basketball, Bradley Beal 

Adidas’ other top endorsers have really struggled. John Wall signed with Adidas subsidiary, Reebok, in 2010 for $25 million over five years. Reebok had high expectations for Wall, who was a heavily-hyped star after a year at the University of Kentucky, but sales of his signature shoes have disappointed. Retail sales were only $5 million in 2012 and in January Wall departed the Reebok brand for that of its parent, Adidas. Forbes.com

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Sneakers 

John Wall: I am proud of my brother @Jason Collins. Great teammate and mentor! Twitter @John_Wall

John Wall, Jason Collins 

Wall needed the final six weeks of the season to affirm the time he spent last offseason trying to get better. Those early morning workouts with trainer Rob McClanaghan resulted in a player who could play with better pace. His jumper also improved once he gained the confidence to take it in games. “Everything I worked on this summer really helped me,” Wall said. “I finally got there when I got in shape. Missing three and a half months you’re not going to come back in shape right away because you couldn’t run or anything. So it took me a while. It was good to see what I worked on paid off. Just got to keep doing it again this summer.” Washington Post

Washington Wizards, John Wall 

Ernie Grunfeld: I think John Wall had a very good year, and he showed that he makes a difference on the team. There’s no question about that, and he’s eligible for an extension. July 1 is the first day we can talk about that, and we’ll have conversations with him, his representatives, to see if we can work something out… Obviously, we’ve said all along that we’re building this team around John and with John. We want to have him here long term. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Ernie Grunfeld 

Michael Lee: Ernie on John Wall extension: "John had a very good year...We'll have conversations [7/1] to see if we can work something out." #wizards Twitter @MrMichaelLee

Washington Wizards, John Wall 

Michael Lee: Ernie on locking up John Wall: "We've said all along that we're building this team around John & we want him here long-term." #wizards Twitter @MrMichaelLee

Washington Wizards, John Wall 

“It’s not all about me. I’m not a selfish person, a selfish type of player. All I want to do is win. If we winning, I’m cool with anything. So that’s all that matters to me.” – John Wall, on what contract amount he’s willing to accept. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, John Wall 

If there’s no deal reached before the start of next season, Wall would become a restricted free agent in 2014. Owner Ted Leonsis said during the television broadcast of Wednesday season-ending loss to the Chicago Bulls that the team will see what it can do to keep Wall “for a long, long time.” Washington Times

Washington Wizards, John Wall 

Michael Lee: John Wall said he won't try to recruit free agents to join #wizards this summer. "I’m not going to go out & beg nobody to come play for us." Twitter @MrMichaelLee

Washington Wizards, Free Agency, John Wall 

The most interesting nugget likely came when he was asked by Chenier about what the team’s focus would be during the offseason. “Well there’s lots of ways to improve the team: trades, free agency,” Leonsis said. “Obviously — unfortunately — we’ll have another high pick. And maybe we’ll get lucky and move up a couple of spaces so that we can pick 1, 2 or 3 again. We see Bradley Beal, he’s a real player, he was picked third. And you’re right, we’re gonna have a really really good backcourt with him and John. “But free agency, I think, is a way that we can use to improve the team,” Leonsis continued. “And probably the key thing for us is to try and keep Martell [Webster], and see what we’re gonna do with John [Wall] to keep him with the team for a long, long time. I think that the fans would expect that, to try and keep the nucleus of the team together and then add around it.” Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Free Agency, John Wall, Ted Leonsis 

“You want to get all you can, make your money and that’s what I’m going to do, make as much as I can,” said Wall, the 2010 No. 1 overall pick, who is averaging a career-high 18.4 points and has led the team to a 24-24 record since returning from a knee injury. “But I also want to make sure that everything with my teammates is getting better, that my team is getting better. If it’s me making the money I’m making and we’re still losing, it’s not fun. You get paid, but you’re paid to lose. I want to get paid to win, paid more for being in the playoffs. I just love the game and want to win. That’s the main thing.” Washington Post

Washington Wizards, John Wall 

Michael Lee: John Wall on NYK: "We know New York is on a 12-game winning streak, so why not try to be ones to surprise them – & beat them?" #wizards Twitter @MrMichaelLee

New York Knicks, Washington Wizards, John Wall 

When Okafor attempted to explain afterward why Coach Randy Wittman had to make the decision to give A.J. Price more playing time, Wall snapped back, leading to a heated argument that was audible from the walls on the other side of the training room. “It was just me being young and very frustrated. I wasn’t making anything, turning the ball over, and we lost a lot of games that we should’ve won and I put the toll on me,” Wall explained, as he recalled his emotions before the encounter. “A lot of frustration was coming out. As a veteran and being a leader on the team, [Okafor] stepped up and said something. At the time, it was in the heat of moment. I was upset.” Washington Post

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Nene, Randy Wittman 

Wall was unaccustomed to having a teammate challenge him, but in hindsight, he couldn’t disagree with anything that Okafor told him: Wittman had to go with someone else if he was ineffective and Wall has to trust that the coach is doing what was in the best interest of the team, which should always come first “It wasn’t nothing bad. I felt like, what he said was right,” Wall said of Okafor “It was all the right things at the right time. 'You’ve got to learn how to control your anger more.' Ever since that day forward, I became more focused. Came to practice the next day, talked to him, put it behind us and I just went out there and tried to play basketball. Didn’t hold no grudges.” Washington Post

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Nene, Randy Wittman 

Wall and Hibbert eventually spoke to clear up the misunderstanding, then Hibbert and Wall announced on Twitter than the situation had been resolved. “Just spoke 2 @John_Wall n cleared up somethings. Def should have hit him up 1st before opening my mouth pause* . @John_Wall is a good dude,” Hibbert wrote on his account, @Hoya2aPacer. Wall then replied, “appreciate it big homie..never said Indy has soft bigs just said they play a soft concept in pick and roll…they got good bigs” Washington Post

Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, John Wall, Roy Hibbert 

Roy Hibbert didn’t like what Washington Wizard’s point guard John Wall said about the Pacers big men after they played Saturday night. Hibbert admitted that the Pacers didn’t play well enough to win and didn’t deserve to win. But he also took exception to Wall calling him out, along with the Pacers’ other frontline guys. Unprovoked, Hibbert brought out the ‘soft’ comment before getting to the punch line. “[Washington] went out there and they played hard. John Wall was determined to get around our “soft” bigs, I guess,” he said. “You have to tip your hat off to those guys. They’re changing their season around before they go fishing. “[Wall] can say what he wants to say. He’s entitled to it. He’s a good player. We have a chance to compete for a championship. They have a chance to compete for the No.1 pick.” Pacers.com

Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, John Wall, Roy Hibbert 

John Wall is gracing the cover of D.C. Modern Luxury’s latest issue. The Wizards guard took time to pose for a fashion shoot for the publication’s “Men of Style” feature, and the write up accompanying his photo is all kinds of amazing. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, John Wall 

Obama, a former high school basketball player in Hawaii and an avid hoops enthusiast, finally made a layup and left the court after finishing 2 of 22. The miserable shooting display led Wall to share a few jokes while offering to supply some advice. “I told him ‘I’m on a hot stretch this month,’ ” Wall said. “I said you was shooting like I was shooting the first month I came back. He kept saying I’m going to leave for like five minutes, 10 minutes. He didn’t leave until he made one.” Washington Post

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Barack Obama 

Rondo is in the midst of a five-year extension worth $55 million he signed in 2009. Curry signed a four-year extension last fall for $44 million. Lawson got a four-year, $48 million extension that kicks in next season. Westbrook's max extension averages $15.5 million per year. Rose was able to get a bigger extension -- five years and just under $95 million -- with his MVP award. "I feel like those are some guys up there," he says. "Those are guys that, I'm not chasing just to go get. I want to prove myself, just like they proved themselves. And hopefully get my team to the playoffs like they're doing." NBA.com

Washington Wizards, John Wall