John Wall Chose Kentucky Over UNC Because of Tyler Hansbrough
John Wall, now with the Los Angeles Clippers, became a household name during his one season with Kentucky Basketball. He averaged 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game en route to SEC Player of the Year and Consensus All-America honors. That 2009-2010 campaign solidified Wall as one of Kentucky’s all-time greats. However, he revealed on the Run Your Race podcast that he would have gone to North Carolina if not for one interaction with UNC legend Tyler Hansbrough.
“I wanted to go to Carolina, that’s my dream school. A lot of people don’t know that. They [messed] it up. They were the only ones that could have gotten me not to go play for Coach Cal. Because my mom got sick, had an aneurysm in her head, so she had to shave half her head bald. So I’m like, I can’t leave home, I gotta stay close – that’s my best friend. And Carolina had already [messed] up, so I was going to go to NC State if I was going to do it. I’m like, ‘Nah, I can’t go to school from here to the refrigerator. I’m never going to be on campus, I’m going to be at home with my guys.’
So I go on the visit [to North Carolina], and Ty Lawson and them there. Tyler Hansbrough got his own section, him and like homeboys. I’m the receipt. I walk up and say, ‘What’s up?’ and he said, ‘I don’t talk to recruits.’ I’m like, ‘F*** you, I ain’t coming here.’ That [messed] it up right there.
I really went up to shake his hand, he was National Player of the Year and just won a championship, I want to talk to Tyler Hansbrough. You from North Carolina, you watching Tyler Hansbrough, this guy is a star. I was seeing Ed Cota come through there, Raymond Felton, I get to meet Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough and it’s a dream come true. Dream school I loved growing up. But he did that and I was like, ‘I got something for him.'”
Hansbrough Denies the Story
After Wall’s comments went public, Hansbrough responded with a Tweet refuting the story and claiming Wall really went to Kentucky because Coach John Calipari gave him the bag.
This seems like a situation where there’s probably some truth to both sides, but it’s unlikely we ever get the full story on what really went down. Things worked out for John Wall at Kentucky, but it’s still a fun hypothetical to picture him in Carolina Blue.
***
SUBSCRIBE to the Vendetta YouTube Channel!
SHOP for Vendetta Merch!
SUPPORT Vendetta on Patreon!
