John Wall Regrets Not Playing with Klay Thompson
John Wall Regrets Not Playing with Klay Thompson
John Wall eventually got his star backcourt partner when the Washington Wizards selected Bradley Beal in 2012, but according to Wall, the team had a chance to build a perfect duo a year earlier but made a disastrous draft decision instead.
During an appearance on The Draymond Green Show, Wall was asked whether he believed the Wizards’ front office did a good job of building a team around him when he played in Washington, D.C. The five-time All-Star didn’t hold back, stating that the Wizards “missed out on several players”, particularly Klay Thompson, who was available in the 2011 NBA Draft. Instead, the team decided to go with Czech forward Jan Vesely, a move Wall still regrets to this day.
The Missed Opportunity: Klay Thompson or Jan Vesely?
The Wizards had the opportunity to draft Thompson well before the Golden State Warriors selected him with the 11th overall pick. Instead, Washington opted for Vesely, a 6-foot-11 forward who was hyped as the “Blake Griffin of Europe” at the time. However, Vesely quickly became one of the biggest draft busts in franchise history, lasting just three seasons in the NBA before heading back to Europe.
Wall expressed frustration that at the time, the Wizards lacked a true shooting guard to complement him, and Thompson would have been the ideal fit for the team. The former star point guard admitted that if both Beal and Thompson had played alongside him, Washington could have formed one of the best backcourt trios in NBA history.
“I still needed a solid two-guard at that time, because we hadn’t drafted Beal yet,” Wall explained. “Klay would have been the perfect choice. I would have loved having both of them on the court with me.”
John Wall Has Mentioned This Regret Before
This is not the first time Wall has brought up this painful draft mistake. Watching Vesely’s NBA career fizzle out so quickly while seeing Thompson blossom into one of the greatest shooters in NBA history has only made the regret stronger.
Wall recalled that during Thompson’s pre-draft workout in Washington, D.C., he witnessed firsthand just how exceptional the young guard was.
“Yeah, I think we definitely should have picked [Thompson],” Wall said. “Dude was a sniper. He could shoot the ball like crazy.”
According to Wall, Thompson put on a shooting clinic during his Wizards pre-draft workout, draining shot after shot. However, despite his elite shooting display, Washington still chose Vesely, who ultimately contributed nothing significant to the Wizards’ future.
Why Did the Wizards Pass on Klay Thompson?
Even looking back, there is no clear explanation for why the Wizards didn’t select Thompson. Wall acknowledged that the decision remains a mystery to him, saying:
“They had their reasons,” Wall said. “I’m not saying it was a good decision, OG. But I’m just saying they had their reasons.”
Whatever those reasons were, it’s now clear that the Wizards made a colossal mistake. Meanwhile, Thompson went on to become a four-time NBA champion, a five-time All-Star, and one-half of the legendary “Splash Brothers” alongside Stephen Curry.
How Different Would the NBA Look If Klay Thompson Had Joined the Wizards?
Had the Wizards selected Thompson instead of Vesely, NBA history could have been drastically different. Instead of pairing with Curry and helping the Warriors establish one of the most dominant dynasties of all time, Thompson could have formed a lethal duo with Wall in Washington.
With Wall’s elite playmaking and speed, paired with Thompson’s incredible shooting ability, the Wizards could have been a legitimate powerhouse in the Eastern Conference. Instead, they missed out on a generational talent, and the Warriors built a dynasty with the player Washington let slip away.
Ultimately, Washington’s mistake contributed to Golden State’s rise, and John Wall still laments what could have been.
What Could Have Been: A Missed Championship Opportunity?
If the Washington Wizards had drafted Klay Thompson, they could have had a backcourt duo that rivaled any in the NBA. John Wall’s elite court vision, slashing ability, and athleticism would have perfectly complemented Thompson’s world-class shooting and off-ball movement. The two could have formed a deadly combination, similar to how Stephen Curry and Thompson revolutionized the game in Golden State.
Not only would Thompson have spread the floor for Wall’s penetration, but he also could have eased the scoring burden that often fell too heavily on Wall’s shoulders. This pairing might have been enough to turn the Wizards into a perennial Eastern Conference contender, rather than the middle-of-the-pack team they became throughout most of Wall’s tenure.
Could the Wizards Have Won an NBA Title?
With Thompson in Washington, the Wizards’ trajectory might have completely changed. Instead of struggling to build around Wall and eventually trading away their core pieces, the team could have had the foundation for a championship squad. In a weaker Eastern Conference at the time, a duo of Wall and Thompson could have challenged LeBron James’ Cavaliers and potentially reached the NBA Finals.
The biggest what-if is whether Thompson’s presence in Washington would have stopped the Warriors from becoming an all-time dynasty. Without him, the 2015 Warriors might not have won their first championship, and Kevin Durant may never have joined Golden State in 2016. The entire NBA landscape might have looked completely different.
But instead, the Wizards drafted Jan Vesely, who flamed out of the league in just three seasons, while Thompson became a Hall of Fame-caliber player.
For John Wall, this missed opportunity will always be a painful “what could have been”. Even years later, he still regrets the decision, knowing that a partnership with Klay Thompson could have changed everything for the Washington Wizards—and maybe even for the entire NBA.
How Would Klay Thompson’s Career Have Evolved in Washington?
If Klay Thompson had landed in Washington instead of Golden State, his development as a player could have taken a different path. While his shooting prowess would still have been elite, the system in Washington was vastly different from the motion-heavy, three-point-focused offense of the Warriors.
Would Thompson have been given the same green light to shoot at will? Would the Wizards have built their offense around him the way the Warriors did? It’s unlikely. While John Wall was an excellent facilitator, the Wizards’ offensive system was not as sophisticated as Golden State’s, which was designed to maximize off-ball movement and spacing.
Instead, Thompson might have developed into a more traditional shooting guard, focusing on spot-up shooting and secondary scoring rather than the free-flowing, ultra-efficient sharpshooter he became under Steve Kerr. He still would have been an All-Star, but without Curry, Draymond Green, and the Warriors’ revolutionary playstyle, he might not have evolved into one of the greatest shooters of all time.
Additionally, the lack of defensive structure and elite coaching in Washington might have slowed down his progress as a two-way player. With the Warriors, Thompson became an underrated perimeter defender, often guarding the opposing team’s best player. Would the Wizards have demanded the same from him, or would he have been used primarily as a shooter?
It’s fascinating to consider how Thompson’s career arc could have been completely different in Washington. He might still have been a high-level player, but without the championship rings, the dynasty, and the iconic status that came with being a Splash Brother.
For the Wizards, the choice to draft Jan Vesely over Klay Thompson will always be one of the franchise’s biggest mistakes. And for John Wall, it remains a frustrating “what if” scenario—one where he and Thompson could have formed an unstoppable backcourt, changed the course of NBA history, and even contended for multiple championships.
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