John Wall said he was considering suicide at a time in the past three years when he was dealing with a torn Achilles tendon and the death of family members at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The guard joined the Los Angeles Clippers this summer and is looking forward to getting back in shape next season. Wall has only played 40 games in the last three years due to injuries, Covid-19 and his former team, the Houston Rockets, did not play him before joining the Clippers.
Wall, 31, spoke about his recent past at a garden dedication for his late mother at the Salvation Army in his hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina earlier this month. His mother had been a volunteer at the facility.
“The darkest place I’ve ever been,” said the five-time All-Star. “At one point I thought about committing suicide. I mean I just tore my Achilles tendon, my mum is sick, my mum passed away, my grandma died a year later, all this in the midst of Covid and at the same time I’m going to do it [my mother’s] Chemotherapy, I sit next to my mother and take her last breaths and wear the same clothes that are on the couch next to her for three days.”
Wall’s mother, Frances Pulley, died of breast cancer in December 2019 at the age of 58. His grandmother later died. At the same time, Wall was busy rehabilitating his Achilles tendon injury.
“We all go through times, nobody has it easy, but I don’t think many people could get through what I went through,” Wall said. “And for me this important time means a lot, getting back to the top of where I want to be and seeing the fans still want me to play and having the support of my hometown. I looked for a therapist. A lot of people think, ‘I don’t need help, I can get through this anytime’, but you have to be true to yourself and find out what’s best for you.”
Wall said he has a strong support system that includes his team and the mother of his two children. His sons also motivate him.
“I look at all of this and think, ‘If I can get through this, I can get through anything in life,'” he said.
Lakers superstar LeBron James’ production company tweeted: “@John Wall we’ve got your back. Always.” James then tweeted, “And I mean ALWAYS!!!!!! Never question it bro!! Proud of you @JohnWall.”
Wall said he’s excited to be able to play basketball again.
“You can tell I’m smiling a lot more, all those things,” he said. “I get the opportunity to play with two great players and the sky is the limit.”
