Wall doesn't believe he's reached full potential

The relationship between Scott Brooks and Washington Wizards point guard John Wall is off to a fine start, with the new head coach visiting a bedridden Wall after he underwent the first major surgery of his basketball career.

Meeting for the first time, the two discussed basketball, plans for the future, and how to turn around a Wizards team that missed out on the playoffs for the first time in three seasons, according to The Vertical's Michael Lee.

Some high praise from a former NBA Coach of the Year for his new franchise player is what resonated with Wall the most.

"He told me I haven't reached nearly my potential," Wall told Lee on Thursday, "and that's something I like to hear, because I haven't. I've just showed glimpses of what I can be."

Wall was named to his third All-Star team this past season, averaging 19.9 points on 42.4 percent shooting, 10.2 assists (third in NBA), 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in 77 appearances. Despite his incredible numbers, Washington still wound up winning five fewer games than the season prior, as several key players missed prolonged periods of time due to injury.

His focus now is continuing his recovery after going under the knife to remove loose particles in his right knee, and calcium deposits from his left patella tendon - the more serious ailment of the two. It could extend into the next couple of months, with Wall not being cleared to participate in training camp this fall remaining a possibility.

"It's something I feel like I had to do," Wall said of the surgery on his left knee. "It was painful. You watch a lot in games, I jumped off my right leg, or I jumped off two feet. I never jumped off my left leg. That's the reason I rarely went right, because I had to jump off two feet, because this leg, I couldn't get off of it."

That knee has bothered him each of the past three seasons. When Wall is allowed to get back on the floor for the Wizards, he'll view it as a "relaunch" to his career as he plays without the hindrance.

"It's going to be like the first time I'll be really healthy and be myself," Wall said. "If you know me, you know I'm a person that's going to attack it like nothing else. I'm taking this challenge on. It's a tough challenge to try to rebuild everything and get stronger. It's a challenge I'm willing to take to come back to be a better player, and come back and try to have the best season I've ever had."