National Basketball Association

Washington Wizards' John Wall Is Taking Rookie Tomas Satoransky Under His Wing

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Washington Wizards star John Wall is going out of his way to make rookie Tomas Satoranky’s transition to the big league easier

Entering his seventh season in the NBA, Washington Wizards point guard John Wall is no longer one of the “young guys.”

Wall, who turned 26 today, isn’t operating with training wheels anymore. The veteran players who stabilized the locker room – Trevor Ariza, Nene, Emeka Okafor, Paul Pierce, Drew Gooden and others – aren’t there to provide leadership.

For the first time since he arrived to Washington in 2010, Wall and his backcourt mate Bradley Beal are being asked to lead.

Having replaced all of the veterans with developing players this off-season during free agency, the two guards are being counted on to set an example both on and off the floor.

The Wizards are the youngest they’ve been since Wall’s rookie season. Wall has become the player that he depended on early in his NBA career. While it’s weird to think of Wall as a “veteran,” the term is applicable to him as a player right now.

Washington doesn’t have any “true” NBA rookies on their roster for this upcoming season, but Tomas Satoransky – a first year player who was drafted in 2012 – will play a significant role off the bench for Scott Brooks.

At 6-foot-7, Satoransky is instantly going to become one of the biggest point guards in the league.

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He’s improved his jump shot enough to share the court with other guards, so he’s expected to play along side both Wall and Beal.

Even though he’s spent years overseas crafting his game, Satoransky will still have to go through an adjustment period.

Satoransky has the physical tools to contribute right away at the next level, but the speed of the game is always a hurdle for players who’ve yet to step onto an NBA court.

Moving and becoming familiar with the area is also something that Satoransky has to become accustomed to.

It’s a topic that most don’t talk about, but become familiar with the NBA lifestyle and culture as a whole is a huge part of the transition for international players.

Wall has already gotten a head start in the process and has taken Satoransky under his wing.

Training camp is less than a month away and Wall is apparently going out of his way to show Satoransky the ropes, so to speak.

Ramon Sessions, who manned the primary backup guard spot in D.C. this past season, is no longer in town.

Trey Burke and Satoransky will presumably compete for minutes during camp, with Satoransky capable of being slotted at both guard spots and the small forward position in spurts.

The Czech star is arriving to the nation’s capital later this week and will likely spend most of his time with the Washington Wizards’ coaching staff inside the Verizon Center.

Learning the plays, especially for a player who will handle the ball often, is going to be imperative. And if Satoransky has trouble or needs help, I’m sure he’ll find Wall to be a solid study buddy.

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