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What exactly did you think was going to happen? Did you think John Wall was going to step on the floor last night and instantly be the best player in the NBA? That the Wizards would suddenly be good enough to beat one of the league's best teams in the Orlando Magic? I suppose there was a chance all those things could have happened, but believing that they would only be setting yourself up for a major disappointment.
I'll admit, I was guilty of that a little bit as well. I got caught up in it. Part of me thought that Wall had a chance to make a difference immediately and be among the best players on the floor as soon as he set foot on it. I blame Blake Griffin and his dominating debut.
But John Wall is a point guard, not a power forward; a position where mistakes are magnified and the learning curve is much sharper. For comparison's sake, I decided to look back at Derrick Rose's NBA debut. Between his experience level, his expectations, and his age, I think Rose was the best person to compare Wall to.
In his NBA debut back in Oct. 2008, Rose put up 11 points on 33% shooting while dishing out nine assists. He put up remarkably similar numbers to Wall. The Bulls happened to win that game, but there is no doubt they had a much more talented team then the Wizards put on the floor last night.
John Wall is just a 20-year-old NBA rookie. The Wizards are still the team that finished with a bad enough record to earn the first overall pick, and last night they didn't have their best player in Gilbert Arenas (for better or for worse, until Wall develops, Arenas is still the guy). Like I said yesterday, there will be better days. I didn't anticipate yesterday's would be quite as bad as it was, but there is no where to go but up.
Today's must-reads from around the SB Nation network:
- Who is more important to the Redskins' defense, Albert Haynesworth or DeAngelo Hall? Hogs Haven debates.
- Bullets Forever with a full recap of last night's game. Read it if you dare.
- Federal Baseball takes a closer look at the impending free agency of Adam Dunn.
On SB Nation D.C. today: Jack Anderson on why the Redskins must beat the Detroit Lions. And Varsity News is back to count down the top ten football teams in the area.