'Our Kids Need It': Behind John Wall's Hopeful NBA Comeback & Journey Through Black Fatherhood

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, and as large a topic as that was to tackle, for the Black Love co-founder, filmmaker, photographer and father himself, the message he was hoping to get across was simple:

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

Oliver took his camera and began snapping photos that allowed viewers into the lives of Black fathers. It started with his friends — those closest to him — as he found himself surrounded by perfect examples of the sentiment he knew to be true.

Thus, "Father Noir" was born.

"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 to that. It's a problem."

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

The result? Simple, black-and-white images depicting the reality of Black fatherhood — one vastly different from the ubiquitous narrative of abandonment, or absence — released every year on Father's Day.

"I wanted to feature fathers, period," Oliver said of his original 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, not realizing how big the project could grow to become. 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 this year, as the photographer made his way to a photoshoot for 2024's season of "Father Noir," he was in for a unique experience.

Oliver had the same equipment — a staple of his for such shoots — and was set to not only feature another high-profile celebrity, but one who's had extra time to dedicate to being a father in recent months. He's 33 years old, stands 6-foot-3 and has two kids.

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

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

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

To his left, his father, John Wall, was leaned over his arm to be at the same level as his two sons. Ace, 5, was on 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 was a yellow six flipped up next to the large draw pile. In Ace's hand was a card that would grant him the win, and it seemed as if Amir picked up on that fact, indicated by his hostile stare.

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

"UNO!" he yelled, his hands shooting into the air as Wall laughed.

The game had been won, and Amir was not the one to emerge victorious. Recognizing that fact, Wall's youngest son threw his cards across the room in protest — he, too, had some 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 got a front row seat to Amir's defeat. "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; a competitor of the highest degree himself. Having his sons inherit his competitiveness meant they were likely going to go all-out at anything they did.

Even a game of 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 just like his father, and 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 as Wall interacted with his kids the way he would any other day. 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 said he's seen almost every dad with young kids use.

No matter what the activity, the love between Wall and his two sons was clear. 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 exactly what Oliver had hoped for. His project called for Black fathers who displayed a genuine love and support for their children, and Wall was a perfect match. Nothing about the shoot seemed forced. It went smoothly.

And Oliver hadn't ever 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. He just saw the opportunity at hand to shed light on Black fatherhood in all of its beauty, rather than what it'd been made out to be by society.

“The narrative is that we walk out on our kids, we end up locked up in jail, or we end up dead," Wall said exclusively to 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, both Ace and Amir have known their dad to be a competitor. As Wall will tell you, they watched him play during his short stints in Houston and LA, so they know the kind of player he is. How good he is. But tha

Wall got behind Oliver's vision. He was a great example of what being a father looked like, and knew he was just based on his mindset.

It was a way of thinking that only other fathers would understand.

"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 Black African American man in this world."

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

"Like me."

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

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

And 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 Carroll Wall Sr.'s incarceration, Wall and his family would make constant visits to go see him. Oftentimes, Wall would forget the fact that his father was in prison — or, he'd choose not to view it that way — but rather picture him simply living elsewhere.

John Carroll 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.

As tough as the circumstances were, Wall still looked up to his father. He idolized him, even, making clear that despite his past, his father was the man in his life.

That was all he knew.

That's why he still looked up to him, even vowing to tell his story and carry on his legacy whenever he died a month after being released from prison 7 years into his sentence due to liver cancer deemed terminal — a day Wall calls the "worst" of his 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."

Idolized or not, John Carroll Wall Sr. gave wall an idea of what a father looked like. It wasn't an ideal image, but it was what Wall knew. But that didn't stop him from being intentional about a different route when it came to raising his own kids.

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

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

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.

They connected in that way.

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 for a day ... 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)," Oliver said. "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, and 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 get back into.

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John Wall wakes up at 7 a.m. every morning. For a player with 11 NBA seasons under his belt, that's not surprising. He's done it before, and he continues to do it. The difference, however, is that instead of waking up for practice or just by force of habit, Wall is intentional about his wake-up call.

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

Wall hits the weight room first, where he's able to stay in shape and keep his strength up, before heading to the basketball court to get shots up. After that, he heads to the sauna for recovery 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 try to keep themselves around in the league for as long as possible. Carmelo Anthony had a final stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, Udonis Haslem stayed rostered by the Miami Heat for eight seasons after he stopped consistently averaging 10 minutes or more per game.

Even Al Horford holds a solid role with the Boston Celtics as a veteran presence stil capable of torching a team's weary defense. Wall isn't as old as some of those players were when they played out — or, in Horford's case are playing — their final seasons, but he's been out of a consistent role for quite some time now.

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 — his suitor before his time in LA — 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 being waived, Wall hasn't played NBA basketball, but hasn't stopped preparing and working out for the day that he does get that chance. He knows his worth on the court — and isn't afraid to voice it.

'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.” 

Just like that, Wall is embracing a role model-type niche again. Both for his kids watching him stick so tightly to his routine, and for any younger potential teammates. But despite not having a job in the league, if you asked Wall whether or not he regrets training and hoping for a chance, he'd say no.

Every time.

“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. In fact, it's just as likely he's picked up my a contender as it is a young team in need of wisdom and player guidance.

Regarding the latter, that means that the San Antonio Spurs can't be ruled out.

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FEB. 5, 2014 — A seven-point margin made the difference between the Spurs and the Washington Wizards in Washington, D.C. just 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, not to mention their 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 any surprise that any meeting between the two sqauds was set to be a good one, but not many expected the true battle both the Spurs and Wizards engaged in. It took all four quarters and two extra periods of overtime to finally determine a winner, but despite Wall's team-high 29 points and nine rebounds, San Antonio was the one to emerge victorious.

Wall didn't throw his UNO cards across the room after leaving, but he certainly felt the frustration that came from falling short in such a close matchup. That didn't stop him from earning the respect from Popovich and some of the Spurs' stars.

“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

The veteran coach was right. A few days later, Wall was named to his first NBA All-Star Game and brought in some extra hardware after 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 FIBA World Cup roster. “Everybody had the same fair amount of time as far as being (in Las Vegas) and playing. I think [Team USA] already had kind of in their mind what they wanted to do and 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 now-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

That was Wall's first true exposure to the coach in a learning environment, and 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 just look at all of the great players (he’s produced)."

Wall named Tim Duncan — who also commended the Wizards star after his team's 2 OT loss just before the 2014 All-Star Break — Manu Ginobili 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

Leonard became who he was with San Antonio before asking out in a move that's since villainized him among Spurs fans, and Wall credits that to the Spurs' system and its similarity to another popular — for its own fans, anyway — sports dynasty.

“I look at the Spurs system like the (New England) Patriots,'' Wall said. “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.”It was amazing to be around him and just pick his brain about the game of basketball.”

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 opportunites.

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. Maybe that's why he'd openly welcome a spot with the Spurs in a heartbeat. It was either that, or the ever-growing appeal of playing alongside Spurs wunderkind 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," Wall added. "I can pressure the basketball more because I know he’s back there blocking shots for me and making the job easier. And (especially) being under Gregg Popovich and learning from him. 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 — which the team is set to address during the 2024 NBA Draft — but he'd certainly bring a different kind of energy that can't be brought any player without his kind of experience.

In other words, Wall wouldn't be a star in San Antonio. But he seems to be okay 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 Wall will tag along with his father to his 8 a.m. workouts and shootarounds.

As John Wall gets shots up, squaring his shoulders and watching for form, Ace will watch. 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. And he knows it. 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, but at the same time, not at all. It's something he knew would come up eventually. His kids do watch everything he does, after all.

“He has a lot to live up to," Wall said of the idea of his sons playing basketball professionally one day. "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 5-year-old Ace or 4-year-old Amir?

“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 him become a man of his own.”

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

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 he would have gotten — a father who doesn't focus on looking good for the camera, but rather being authentic to help end the stigma surrounding Black fatherhood.

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

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

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

But that isn't how he wants to be known.

"I want them to know me as being a great father," Wall said. "Then, 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 that 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, playing UNO or just laying around, they'll get up and find their father. They'll ask him to watch his highlights, and he'll agree.

While they 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 on a fast break into a dunk quicker than anyone they've ever seen.

"That’s you?" They ask, awestruck. 

“Yeah,” he replies. “That’s me.”