Former Wizards star John Wall returns to Washington as Howard basketball operations president

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John Wall’s new role brings him back to the city where his NBA career began. On Thursday, officials at Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C., confirmed to ESPN that Wall was named the school’s president of basketball operations.

Wall joins a standout program that recently became the latest HBCU to reach an NCAA Division I men’s tournament game, a rare feat among mid-majors.

Wall was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and spent his first nine seasons with the Washington Wizards. He was named Howard’s honorary captain on Jan. 31 and has expressed interest in pursuing a front-office role in the NBA.

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Former Washington Wizards guard John Wall before a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, 2026. (Daniel Kucin Jr./Imagn Images)

Wall hasn’t wasted time getting involved, already taking part in team meetings, evaluating recruits and helping identify potential transfer targets, ESPN reported. Wall’s role also includes shaping the program’s strategic vision, mentoring players and playing a central role in name, image and likeness deals — responsibilities he is already believed to be handling.

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Howard general manager Daniel Marks and coach Kenny Blakeney are expected to work closely with Wall in his new role.

Howard has advanced to the NCAA tournament three times in the past four years, earning the program’s first tournament victory