John Wall is heading back to Washington, D.C., not as a player, but as the new president of basketball operations at Howard University. The historically Black university confirmed the move to ESPN on Thursday.
Wall was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and spent his first nine seasons with the Washington Wizards. He already has an honorary captain role at Howard and has been eyeing an NBA front-office career.
According to ESPN, Wall is already involved in team meetings, recruit evaluations, transfer targets, and NIL deals. He will help shape the program's strategic vision and mentor players. Howard general manager Daniel Marks and coach Kenny Blakeney will work closely with him.
Howard has advanced to the NCAA tournament three times in the last four years, earning its first tournament victory this past March with a First Four win over UMBC.
Wall last played in the NBA during the 2022-23 season. He officially retired in August 2025 after playing 34 games with the Los Angeles Clippers. He also spent time with the Houston Rockets and was a five-time All-Star.
Wall's move mirrors Stephen Curry's recent jump to assistant general manager at Davidson College and Trae Young taking the same role at Oklahoma.