The athlete was dealing with an injury and his mom's death at the 'darkest' point of his life.
John Wall is opening up about his mental health. In an interview with Donal Ware at a Salvation Army charity event, the 31-year-old Los Angeles Clippers point guard revealed that he's considered suicide in the past.
"At one point in time I thought about committing suicide," he said, before sharing the circumstances that led him to "the darkest place I've ever been in."
"Tearing my Achilles, my mom being sick, my mom passing, my grandma passing a year later, all this in the midst of COVID at the same time," he said. "Me going to chemotherapy, sitting [with] my mom taking her last breaths wearing the same clothes for three days straight laying on the couch beside her."
Wall had surgery for his Achilles injury in 2019, months before his mother, Frances Pulley, died after a battle with breast cancer. His grandmother died in early 2020.
The athlete was traded from his longtime team, the Washington Wizards, in 2020. He sat out the entirety of the 2021-2022 season when he was with the Houston Rockets. Earlier this summer, he was traded to the Clippers.
"My team, the mother of my kids has been great, my two boys, it's my motivation for me," Wall said of what pulled him out of the dark time. "Looking at all that I'm like, 'If I can get through this I can get through anything in life.'"
"I don't like to brag about [it] because everybody goes through something, we all went through tough times, nobody's got it easy. But I don't think a lot of people could get through what I went through," he added. "To me, to be back on top where I want to be and see the fans still wanting me to play, having support from my hometown, their support period means a lot in a time where I had to go find a therapist. A lot of people think, 'I don't need help, I can get through it anytime,' but you gotta be true to yourself, find out what's best for you, and I did that."
Now, Wall is focused on having a successful season, and he believes "the sky's the limit" with his new team and teammates, which includes fellow NBA veterans Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
"A lot of people say, 'You look good on paper.' But I think a lot of guys, we're at an age in our career where we just want to win," he said. "Ain't about trying to be the best player, or trying to be the guy leading our team in scoring, or trying to be MVP."
"I'm just happy to have this opportunity to play basketball again. I think everything I went through and have been through has all been a part of God's plan," he added. "... Even though I was in a dark place the last couple of years, I'm super excited... to play the game that I love."
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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