John Wall and Team USA: The Kid's Better Than You Think

I have been following the John Wall Missed Assist Tracker by Mike Prada over at SB Nation.

It's become of particular interest to me as someone who regularly watched the League Pass dregsy Wizards bungle around this year.

My main takeaway from having viewed so much John Wall is simply this: It's not his fault.

Criticize him all you want, but there are few players who could make the Wizards anything but what they currently are. 

Wall's mired in obscurity—cursed to make do with awful teammates—and his point guard skills are manifest.

With his crafty transition pass, he is similar to Rajon Rondo, but with more of a willingness to let it fly. The errant shooting has added to the perception that JW just isn't point guard material, that he has little grasp of the game's nuances.

I would argue that he merely needs an improved jumper and improved teammates. At 8.9 assists per 40 minutes, the real issue is that shaky shot. Thankfully, shooting is a skill that players tend to improve as they age.

Team USA probably agrees, which might have something to do with them adding John Wall to their select team. Unlike the Wizards, Jerry Colangelo and company have a history of successful talent evaluation. Their interest in Wall is a validation of his potential.

So take a note from Team USA: Don't write the No. 1 pick off just yet.