John Wall is eager to prove his doubters wrong.
The Washington Wizards point guard is expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season after tearing his Achilles tendon while recovering from a separate procedure on his left heel. The timing of his absence is notable, as the upcoming campaign is also the first in the four-year, $170-million super-max extension he signed with the Wizards in 2017.
While some have labeled Wall as undeserving of his new contract because of his injury history - which includes 41 missed games in 2017-18 due to knee surgery - the 28-year-old says he uses the mounting criticism as motivation.
"I love it. It fuels me," Wall told The Athletic's Michael Lee. "(The 20)16-17 (season) was my best year. (Averaged) 23 (points) and 11 (assists). John Wall is a top-two point guard. I get injured. John Wall is not a top-five point guard? Now, because I'm injured, I can't defend myself. Now I've got the worst contract ever? That's fine. I deserved that contract.
"My whole mindset is - it's in my notes - I didn't deserve it? When I come back, I'm going to show them I earned it."
Wall's confidence didn't come without initial doubts, however.
"The only thing I questioned was 'The worst contract in NBA history,'" he told Chris Miller of NBC Sports Washington on the Wizards Talk podcast. "That was my lowest point because I was like, 'Do I really deserve this money? Did I really earn it?'
"I looked back at all the years and all the things I've been through and said, 'Yes, I did deserve this, I did earn this.' It was never given to me."
Wall's $38.2-million salary next season is tied with Houston Rockets star James Harden and new Brooklyn Nets addition Kevin Durant for the NBA's fourth-highest earnings in 2019-20, according to Spotrac. Durant is also expected to miss the entire term recovering from his own torn Achilles tendon.