‘I’m the Franchise Guy’: John Wall Feels He’s No.1 Guy at Houston Rockets After Harden’s Exit

The sky covering the city of Houston is bright and shiny, now that the gloomy clouds of the James Harden trade saga have cleared away. After looking like a team that was going to finish at the basement of the Western Conference Table this season, the Houston Rockets are clawing their way back to be on the cusp of a Playoff finish.

The display of Christian Wood has been inspiring to watch while the new addition Victor Oladipo is settling in smoothly. However, their 8-4 run since Harden’s exit would not have been possible without the leadership of John Wall.

They are 6-0 when he is in the lineup and Harden‘s not, this season. So, now he feels that he deserves the accreditation of being the top dog in the roster.

“I feel like now I’m the franchise guy now since James has left. You very rarely get the opportunity to be a franchise [guy] in two different cities and two different teams.

“I feel like that’s my job, to be the leader of this team.”

John Wall feels he doesn’t need to be a proficient scorer like Harden to lead Houston Rockets

It is clear to even an average NBA viewer that Harden is one of the best offensive players of all-time. He averaged more than 30 points a game in the past three seasons, leading the league in scoring. So, no one can virtually replace his points tally.

But Wall brings a diverse skill-set to the table – he can score, assist, rebound, and defend ferociously, all at the same time. He feels his role as the leader will go beyond putting the ball in the bucket for the Rockets.

“I don’t have to be the leading scorer for our team. I don’t have to take the most shots. My job is to make sure everybody is comfortable, everybody is playing at a high level, everybody has respect for one another,” said Wall.

“And that we trust our coaching staff with whatever game plan they give us, and they trust me out there as being basically the coach on the floor when I have the ball in my hands.”

Interestingly, they are 7-0, including the win against Memphis Grizzlies when he’s taken to the court after Harden’s exit. No further validation needed of his importance to the franchise.

Read More – Biggest Winners and Losers of the Blockbuster James Harden Trade