Behind John Wall's Hopeful NBA Comeback, Black Fatherhood Journey

John Wall is a former NBA All-Star with three passions. One is basketball, which he's done professionally for years, and the other two are his sons, Ace and Amir. He's an athlete, yes, but more than that, he's a Black father.

John Wall sits on his son, Amir's, bed while helping him tie his shoe during a photoshoot for Tommy Oliver's "Father Noir." | Photo taken by Tommy Oliver

Tommy Oliver brought only himself, his camera and one light.

It was a simple setup, but it was all that was needed. Oliver was four years into a project he designed specifically to shed light on Black fatherhood — a large topic to tackle, but for the Black Love co-founder, filmmaker, photographer and father himself, the message was simple:

"Black fathers exist, Black fathers show up, Black fathers care."

Oliver began capturing moments allowing his audience into the lives of Black fathers. It started with his friends — those closest to him — as he found himself surrounded by ideal examples of the sentiment he knew to be true.

Thus, "Father Noir" was born. It's a series of black-and-white images depicting the reality of Black fatherhood released every year on Father's Day.

"I know there are Black fathers who care, and who love their kids," Oliver told Spurs On SI, "but, if we don't see it enough, or if we see the opposite, then there's no balance. It's a problem."

Oliver saw an issue, and tackled it. With himself, his camera and one light.

"I wanted to feature fathers, period," Oliver said of the intent behind the visual memoir. "Fathers are needed. Black fathers are out there, and I wanted to be able to create more positive, intentional imagery around that. We just organically landed on Father's Day as the time to put it out."

Three years ago, Oliver set out to send a message, at first not realizing the project's gravity. As it gained traction, the subjects of his photos became higher profile. Celebrities like Wayne Brady, Rotimi and Michael Ealy helped Oliver tell his story.

But as the photographer made his way to a photoshoot for 2024's season of "Father Noir," he was in for a unique customer. He was 6-foot-3 and 33 years old with two kids.

John Wall braces for a hit from a pillow by his son, Amir, during a play fight on their couch, taken moments before an ambush from both of his sons. | Photo taken by Tommy Oliver

Oliver was about to be a "fly on the wall" in the home of NBA All-Star John Wall.

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Four-year-old Amir Wall sat in his bedroom, his back against the wall of the bunk bed he shared with his brother, Ace, with a stack of cards in hand.

To his left, his father, John, was leaned over his arm to level with his two sons. Ace, 5, was to his right, sitting on his knees as the trio played a game of UNO. It was Ace's turn.

On the bed in the center of their little triad, a yellow six was flipped up next to the large draw pile. In Ace's hand was a card that would grant him the win. Amir's hostile stare revealed his knowledge of the situation.

Sure enough, Ace played his final card. A yellow two.

"UNO!" he yelled, his hands shooting into the air as Wall laughed before being showered with Amir's dejected cards — some of them yellow.

John Wall laughs with his sons during a game of Uno. Tommy Oliver says he noticed Wall's sons take after their father's competitiveness. | Photo taken by Tommy Oliver

"They have inherited their father's competitiveness," Oliver said, having watched Amir's defeat firsthand. "They just wanted to win, and did not like it when they weren't."

It made sense, especially considering Wall's career as a professional athlete. He was a competitor of the highest degree himself, so having his sons inherit his competitiveness meant they, too, were likely to go all-out at anything they did. Even UNO.

"Sometimes, it gives you chills," Wall said. "Because you see a reflection of yourself."

As Wall would tell you, Amir is his twin by way of appearance. "He looks just like me," he'd say. Ace, on the other hand, is his "other twin" by way of behavior. He acts like his father; the 33-year-old wouldn't have it any other way.

"I get both of both worlds," Wall said. "I mean, they both got different personalities. ... They’re growing into their own. That’s the most exciting thing for me."

Oliver watched all afternoon as Wall interacted with his kids. They went from the bedroom playing cards to the couch for a pillow fight and even the living room floor to play with Magna-Tiles — something Oliver says he's seen almost every dad with young kids use.

No matter what the activity, the love between Wall and his two sons was evident. That was Oliver's biggest takeaway from the simple photoshoot.

"His kids love him, and he loves them," Oliver said. "What I also realized is that we all fight, wrestle and love in physical ways, which I've done with my boys for their entire life. To see him do that — see other people do that — I just thought it was a ton of fun, because the kids loved it.

"They just have a really fun relationship."

John Wall sits in the living room with both of his sons while playing with Magna-Tiles — something Tommy Oliver says every dad with young children has. | Photo taken by Tommy Oliver

Getting a candid glimpse into Wall's home was what Oliver had hoped for. His project called for Black fathers who displayed a genuine love and support for their children, and Wall was an ideal match.

Oliver hadn't even met Wall prior.

"I didn't know John," Oliver said. "But (I'd seen) him be really vocal and intentional when talking about fatherhood ... I saw the way that (he) was showcasing his love for his kids, and for me, that's what it's about. It's finding people who care, not about celebrities or followers."

Wall happened to meet both criteria, though the one regarding fame was far from a hard requirement.

“The narrative is that we walk out on our kids, we end up locked up in jail, or we end up dead," Wall told Spurs On SI. "Sometimes, that’s what happens and you can’t control that. But a lot of times, we put those things aside and focus on what really matters."

That's why accepting Oliver's invite was a no-brainer.

“I said: 'Hell yeah,'" Wall recounted. "I don’t think you can pass on an opportunity like this. ... but I’m not doing it for the cameras or the image (it paints of me). I’m doing it because our kids need it.”

As long as they can remember, Ace and Amir have known their dad to be a competitor. They watched him play during his short stints in Houston and LA, so they know the kind of player he is.

They also know him as "Dad."

"Everything I do on a daily basis is to make sure my kids are fine," Wall explained. "To make sure they’re OK. I want to show them that it's OK to be a hard-working, African American man in this world."

That's how Wall identifies. He's a hard-working, African American man who wants to give his kids a role model to follow. A father figure. Someone they can grow to look up to.

“I want my kids to be able to say: 'Oh, he tried. He gave everything he had.'" Wall said. "A lot of kids don’t get that. Some kids miss out on their fathers being there."

Wall was one of them.

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In late January 2018, John Wall wrote a letter to his father.

It came in the form of an online article published by Andscape — an ESPN-owned sports and pop culture website — and detailed Wall's struggles as a child from a broken family. Growing up, the now-NBA star had his mother, his younger sister and two half-siblings. That was the life Wall knew.

Life, as he knew it, also included his father being imprisoned.

"You never got the chance to see me play basketball at any level," he wrote. "In fact, we never had a chance to play catch like fathers and sons do, and you were barely around when I took my first steps.

"That's what happens when a parent goes to prison."

Despite John Wall Sr.'s incarceration, Wall and his family made constant visits to see him. Oftentimes, Wall would glance past the cell his father occupied, instead viewing it as his a temporary home.

Wall Sr. had served previous time for second-degree murder, and his second stint, which began when Wall was 2 years old, was for armed robbery. It wasn't until years later that Wall found out those details. Still, he still looked up to his father.

When Wall Sr. died a month after being released from prison 7 years into his sentence due to liver cancer deemed terminal, it was the worst day of Wall's life.

"I went into shock," Wall wrote. "I ran ... out the door and down the street with no shirt and no socks. I cried so hard, because hearing you had died is more pain than any 9-year-old should experience."

Jan 2, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) warms up before a game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. | Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Idolized or not, Wall Sr. gave Wall an idea of what a father was. It wasn't an ideal image, but it was all he knew. So, he sought out to give his children something different.

"For me, to know my dad would have been there if he had the opportunity," Wall began, "I take full advantage and try to be there day-to-day for the little things."

Perhaps Wall's commitment to being a better father — and pushing away the narrative that his own father played a role in crafting — was what made working with Oliver so simple. Both men understood the challenges and struggles of fatherhood.

"It means everything to me to be a father," Oliver said. "I love being a father, and the idea of showcasing other fathers is important ... (but) I also believe in being the change that we want to see and helping to create the world that I'd like for my kids to live in."

Black Love co-founder, filmmaker, photographer and father Tommy Oliver. | Photo provided by Black Love

As Oliver tries to send a message to people around the world — a message he admittedly wishes didn't need to be shared so direly — he recognizes what figures like Wall can do for it.

"John lending his family for a day," Oliver said. "There are people that know him and like him as a basketball player, and that's why they'll start to look at something (like this), but then they realize there's a lot more than just the basketball player. There's the person. There's the father."

In every aspect of the word, Oliver and Wall are both proud fathers. One came from a broken family, while the other aims to change the narrative surrounding them. It isn't a crusade, but rather a chance to raise awareness. Wall taking part is something Oliver doesn't take lightly.

Especially when the 33-year-old has another job to worry about.

One he's vying to return into.

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John Wall wakes up at 7 a.m. every morning. He's done it for years, especially to make it on time for early workouts at practice facilities, but now, it's a force of habit.

At 8 a.m., he gets in his first workout of the day.

Wall hits the weight room first before heading to the court to get shots up. After that, he recovers in the sauna and caps off his day with another round of shooting at 5 p.m.

It's a full day, but such is required for someone with aspirations of making it back to the NBA.

“I’m focusing on staying healthy and getting myself in shape,” Wall said. "I’m hoping for an opportunity to return next year ... I know I’ve got a lot left in the tank. I want to earn my NBA spot."

Plenty of older, more experienced players have attempted to keep themselves in the league for as long as possible. Carmelo Anthony had a final stint with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022, to name one, while Udonis Haslem stayed rostered by the Miami Heat for eight seasons after he stopped averaging more than 10 minutes per game.

Even Al Horford holds a solid role with the Boston Celtics as a veteran presence still capable of torching a team's weary defense. Wall isn't as old as some of those players, but he's been out of a consistent role for several seasons.

Wall last played for the LA Clippers during the 2022-23 season, when he appeared in 34 games and started three. As a veteran addition, the point guard was expected to help bring the already talented Clippers to the playoffs, but was traded back to the Houston Rockets midway through the season before being waived a few days later.

Nov 24, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard John Wall (1) walks on the court before the game against the Chicago Bulls at Toyota Center. | Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Since then, Wall hasn't played NBA basketball, but also hasn't stopped preparing and working out for the day he does get that chance.

"I know I can bring a lot of veteran leadership to a team," Wall said. "Teach a lot of these young guys how to be pros, how to work.” 

Despite not having a job in the NBA, if you asked Wall whether he regrets training and hoping for a chance, he'd hastily say no.

“I say it all the time,” Wall explained. “If you take the money away, I’d still do the same stuff. I’d still workout two or three times a day. … I just love the grind.”

If Wall does get his chance back in the NBA, there isn't much telling when or where that would be, or what it would look like. It's just as likely he's picked up by a contender as it is a young team in need of wisdom and player guidance.

That means that the San Antonio Spurs can't be ruled out.

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Feb. 5, 2014 — A seven-point margin made up the difference between the Spurs and the Washington Wizards in Washington, D.C. just days before the NBA's annual All-Star break.

Entering the evening, both teams were riding two-game win streaks, and both were playoff contenders, so securing a cross-conference win was simply a boost to their respective records and overall momentum.

San Antonio was in its heyday. Later that season, it would go on to defeat the Heat and win its fifth NBA title under Gregg Popovich, while the Washington Wizards — led by John Wall and Bradley Beal — would be bounced from the second round.

It wasn't a surprise that any meeting between the two squads was set to be exciting, but not many expected the battle that ensued on this February night. It took two periods of overtime to determine a winner; despite Wall's team-high 29 points and nine rebounds, that was San Antonio.

Popovich and some of the Spurs' stars made sure to give Wall his flowers.

“I mean, he’s turned into a leader on the floor,” Popovich said following the game. “He understands situations on the court, he presses his teammates, he’s aggressive and takes on the responsibility to score and to find somebody for a good opportunity. This year is a huge jump for him, I think.”

Feb 5, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (2) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Danny Green (4) defends during overtime at Verizon Center. The Spurs defeated the Wizards 125 - 118 in double overtime. | Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

A few days later, Wall was named to his first NBA All-Star Game and added some extra hardware by winning the Slam Dunk Contest. For Wall, it was the start of a string of decorated seasons, but no matter how much he did, there was one honor he didn't receive that he felt he should have.

“I’ve been (around) for four years in a row. I think that’s enough time,” Wall said regarding his unsuccessful selection to the Team USA's FIBA World Cup roster. “Everybody had the same fair amount of time as far as being (in Las Vegas) and playing. I think they already (knew) what decisions they were going (to make).”

Wall didn't ever make the official roster — he has no Gold medal — but he did get a chance to experience time under Gregg Popovich during the 2018 Team USA summer minicamp when the then-Spurs coach took over for legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Jul 26, 2018; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Team USA basketball head coach Gregg Popovich talks to his players at the start of the 2018 USA Basketball National Team Minicamp at Mendenhall Center. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Despite only getting a short time with him, the All-Star had nothing but positive things to say about Popovich and his coaching style.

"Coach Pop is one of the best coaches of all-time, if not the best," Wall said. “He instills things in you. Makes you work … he doesn’t come in and sugarcoat it. And look at all the great players he's produced"

Wall named Tim Duncan, Manu Ginóbili and Tony Parker among those greats, but he also took time to speak on the development of Kawhi Leonard, his ex-teammate, with regards to Popovich.

“Nobody expected Kawhi Leonard to be who Kawhi Leonard was," Wall said of his former teammate, “but he came in and worked. He was just a great defensive guy. And it’s not just Popovich, but his coaching staff, too.”

Dec 23, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) sits on the bench with guard John Wall (11) against the Philadelphia 76ers in the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. | Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

“I look at the Spurs system like the (New England) Patriots,'' he added. “No matter who they put on the floor, they were going to get the best out of those players. That’s just how they work."

From the point that Wall fell short of beating the Spurs in 2014, he earned multiple All-Star nods, an All-NBA distinction and a place on the NBA's Second Team All-Defense in 2015. He was already decorated when he spent time with Popovich, but found no shortage of learning opportunities.

That, and jokes.

“I didn’t know he was funny,” Wall said, remembering a story from his time spent around Popovich. “He jokes around a lot. ... I remember thinking: ‘Damn, I thought he was serious all the time.’ I thought he was a coach that nobody f***ed around with, but he was laughing and joking. It was dope.”

Wall got close with Popovich and has since viewed him as a role model, which likely prompted his quick affirmative response to a prospective role with Spurs. But the point guard couldn't help but mention the boon of playing with Victor Wembanyama.

“I just love to play the game,” Wall said. “If I get an opportunity to be on any team, I’m willing to take it, but it would be great to be down there with Wemby ... I’d throw lobs at him all day.

"He’s going to be one of those future stars ... for sure I would take that."

 If the Spurs were to entertain adding a player like Wall, they'd do it to bring in a veteran voice with playoff experience. Wall wouldn't solve the glaring issue at point guard for San Antonio, but he'd certainly bring a different kind of energy only found in a player with his kind of experience.

In other words, Wall wouldn't be a star in San Antonio. He seems to be OK with that.

"I’ve been the No. 1 option," the five-time All-Star said. "I’ve been a franchise guy. I know how it feels to have the whole city on your back. I’m not coming in to take over for someone. I’m willing just to come in and help.”

Dec 19, 2018; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) reacts after a play during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. | roy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Help he certainly could. That alone would satisfy the itch Wall has been facing when it comes to suiting up in the NBA, even 10 years after being commended for his work on the floor by the same coach on the same team. But what sweetens the deal even more?

It'd be another chance for Ace and Amir to watch him play.

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Sometimes, Ace will tag along with his father to his 8 a.m. workouts and shootarounds.

As Wall gets shots up, squaring his shoulders and watching for form, Ace will look on. He'll wonder how well he'd fare in similar drills, and he might even imagine himself in his father's shoes.

They're big. But that doesn't stop him from asking the question to his father's trainer:

"When are you going to start working me out?"

Wall laughs, slightly surprised, yet, at the same time, not at all. It's something he knew would come up eventually, especially with his kids watching his every move.

“He has a lot to live up to," Wall said of the idea of his sons playing basketball professionally. "For me, whatever he falls in love with or whatever he wants to do, I’m all for it. I'm not going to be the father to force them to do what I did."

But if basketball does end up being the path for his boys?

“I’ll put them through training," Wall explained. "I’ll be on them and tell them: ‘This is what it takes.’ Then, you see if they quit or fold. You’ve got to let them become men of their own.”

While his two sons learn what that looks like growing up, they'll get the luxury of their father being there for them in a way he wishes his was. They'll get a father whose focus lies in ending the stigma surrounding Black fatherhood by way of his children.

Most importantly, they'll get a father who enjoys being one.

"The hardest thing, for real?" Wall asked, rhetorically. "I really don't know. I don't think there's a hard part about it. It's all fun."

John Wall reacts as both of his sons jump on him with pillows during a play fight on their couch. | Photo taken by Tommy Oliver

As long as they can remember, Ace and Amir have known their dad to be a competitor. They watched him play during his short stints in Houston and LA, so they know the kind of player he is. They also know him as "Dad."

Wall prefers the latter.

"I want them to know me as being a great father," Wall said. "Basketball comes second."

As much as Wall gets both worlds with Ace and Amir, so, too, will they. To them, John Wall is their father, but he's also the world-renowned NBA All-Star. He's the dad their friends want to take photos with when he drops them off at school.

That's why, when they're sitting around the house playing with Magna-Tiles or playing UNO, they'll get up and find their father. They'll ask him to watch his highlights, and he'll agree.

While all three sit on the couch together, Wall will look over.

They don't notice him, but they can't help but smile as they watch their role model go behind-the-back into a dunk on a fast break quicker than anyone they've ever seen.

"That’s you?" They ask, awestruck. 

“Yeah,” he replies. “That’s me.”