John Wall named Howard basketball operations president

Howard University appointed former Washington Wizards guard John Wall as president of basketball operations. Officials at the historically Black university in Washington confirmed the move to ESPN on Thursday. Wall began his NBA career in the city with the Wizards after the 2010 draft selected him first overall.

Wall spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Wizards and was named the program's honorary captain on Jan. 31. He last played in the 2022-23 season for the Los Angeles Clippers, appearing in 34 games, and retired in August 2025 after one season with the Houston Rockets. A five-time consecutive All-Star, Wall has expressed interest in NBA front-office work.

Howard reached the NCAA Division I men's tournament three times in the past four years and secured its first victory in March with a First Four win over UMBC. Wall joins general manager Daniel Marks and coach Kenny Blakeney.

Wall already participates in team meetings, evaluates recruits, identifies transfer targets and shapes the program's vision, including player mentoring and name, image and likeness deals, ESPN reported. His appointment echoes Stephen Curry's role as assistant general manager at Davidson College and Trae Young's at Oklahoma.