5 Signs John Wall Is Headed for a Breakout NBA Season with Washington Wizards

There is no question that the future of the Washington Wizards franchise rests on John Wall's shoulders. After a great individual rookie campaign, Wall will have a lot of tweaking to do in order to take his game to the next level.

For the Wizards to succeed, they need Wall to become a more complete player at both ends of the floor.

Though the league is still in lockout mode and appears to be stuck there for the foreseeable future, Wall has not let the labor stoppage stop his development this offseason. Here are a few signs that Wall is headed for a true breakout season with the Wizards

History Is on His Side

Point guards who have the success Wall had in his rookie season find success for the rest of their careers. Though he did not win Rookie of the Year honors, he compares favorably to past winners in Chris Paul and Derrick Rose.

Wall is bigger than both, and combines Paul's court vision with Rose's command of the floor.

As a rookie, Wall's statistics were very similar to Paul's rookie year, which sets him up to be a good passer and decision maker. Wall averaged 8.3 assists per game to Paul's 7.8. Paul was better shooting from the field, but Wall was better from beyond the arc.

Rose is nearly incomparable as a player, but Wall's progress could eventually put him in the conversation for comparison. Rose is a better pure scorer, and is freakishly strong around the rim, while Wall was content to play a finesse game at the basket.

If Wall gets the best of both worlds, he could prove unstoppable for the Wizards, who desperately need a player that no team can overlook at either end of the floor.

Offseason Activities

Wall has kept himself busy during the lockout by participating in charity games, taking part in player organized activities, and keeping up with the likes of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. Whether it is passing, shooting, scoring, running the show or even dancing at center court, Wall has been active in spite of the labor stoppage.

It is easy for younger players to find themselves at a loss for action in times like these, but Wall has been assertive in his effort to follow up his solid rookie campaign.

Learning from Veterans

In one of his many offseason games, John Wall found himself matched up against New York Knicks point guard Chauncey Billups. Wall made an impression on Billups and Billups on Wall, for very different reasons.

Billups gave Wall some tips on the fly, and "went vet on us" as Jordan Crawford put it.

If you can say one thing about Wall's rookie year, it is that he never slowed down. He may walk it up the court now and again, but when he was moving his fastest he didn't regulate his speed to his advantage. If Wall wants to make the most of his incredible speed, he needs to take it from a "slower" player like Billups that changing speed on the fly can put defenders on their heels, ripe for you to blow by.

There was an element of physicality to Billups's lessons that would prove useful against the peskier defenders in the league. Wall has Sam Cassell giving him pointers every night, and can only improve with more veterans helping him adapt his gifts to the NBA.

Expanding His Game

One of the biggest knocks on John Wall's game has been the lack of a consistent jump shot. He did a lot of work on it during the season, but couldn't turn that hard work into court success.

This summer, Wall has dedicated himself to rounding out his game, and it has paid dividends in the games he has participated in with fellow NBA stars.

Reading through the stories about the charity games Wall has played in, you'll see his gaudy scoring numbers. He scored 34 points in one game, 40 in another and 41 in yet another. In his 41-point performance, Wall chipped in 12 assists and 10 rebounds, further showing his versatility.

Wall's above the rim play looks scary in some of the footage from his endless summer, and adds yet another dimension to his impressive game.

If Wall can become a scoring threat away from the basket, it opens up the rest of the team to thrive in the middle, and move without the ball. Big numbers for his teammates and bigger numbers for Wall.

Overall Confidence

Through all of the videos, montages, and interviews, John Wall has displayed great confidence in his improvement. He has the confidence to knock down the jumpers he struggled with last season. He has the confidence to put the game on his shoulders with the clock running down.

Washington is no place for the timid and Wall's confidence will go a long way towards getting the fans behind the team.

Wall is the latest in a troubled line of stars DC has dubbed their own. Juwan Howard and Gilbert Arenas both cost the Wizards a ton of money and didn't give them the championships the franchise has lacked since the '70s. Wall is just starting his career, but is making a name for himself the right way, and that puts him head and shoulders above the rest.