John Wall Takes New Role at Howard University
John Wall is back in the place where his NBA journey began. On Thursday, Howard University, a historically black university located in Washington, D.C., confirmed to ESPN that Wall has been appointed as the director of basketball operations for the school.
This is an exciting time for Howard, especially since it’s the first HBCU to reach the NCAA Division I men’s tournament—a noteworthy achievement in the mid-major landscape.
Wall, who was the top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, spent the first nine years of his career with the Washington Wizards. He was named an honorary captain at Howard on January 31 and has shared a desire to delve into a front office position within the NBA.
Wall has already jumped into his new responsibilities, participating in team meetings, assessing recruits, and identifying potential transfer candidates. His role is multifaceted—it encompasses developing the overarching strategy for the program, coaching players, and especially engaging in name, image, and likeness deals, which he seems eager to handle.
Howard’s general manager, Daniel Marks, and head coach Kenny Blakeney will collaborate closely with Wall as he begins this new chapter.
Recently, Howard has reached the NCAA Tournament three times over the last four years. They celebrated a significant milestone in March by securing their first tournament victory, defeating the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) in the First Four.
Wall’s last appearance in the NBA was during the 2022-23 season, and he officially retired in August 2025 after playing in 34 games with the Los Angeles Clippers. He also had a stint with the Houston Rockets and was a five-time All-Star during his career.
In a related note, Wall’s move is reminiscent of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who recently took on the assistant general manager role at Davidson College, making him the first active athlete to hold such a position in a college program within one of the major U.S. sports leagues. Trae Young has similarly stepped into the same role at Oklahoma.
