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  6. article_body => "<p>Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/john-wall-not-expected-play-year-wizards-gm-tommy-sheppard-says\">now let everyone know John Wall is expected to return next season<\/a>&nbsp;as he continues to recover from a ruptured left Achilles tendon. Wall understands why the team is being so cautious in holding him out that long, to the point he is already visualizing what his first game back to start the 2020-21 season will be like.<\/p>\n<p>Wall sat down with NBC Sports Washington's Chris Miller for an upcoming episode of the Wizards Talk podcast and explained how he hopes his first game is at home.<\/p>\n<p>\"I\u2019ve gotta be honest with you, if our first game isn\u2019t in D.C. then I probably won\u2019t play. Just to be realistic. I\u2019m going to try to force the NBA for my first game to be at home next season,\" he said.<\/p>\n<p>Wall went on to describe how he knows he will have plenty of \"emotion and adrenaline\" that night. He's going to be excited to get back not only because of the time he's missed - he will have sat 20 months when he plays his next game - but also because he feels fully healthy for the first time as an NBA player.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Wall says even before he tore his Achilles, he dealt with bone spurs that required him to walk on his tippy-toes sometimes. But although he feels great, he is going to continue taking things slow, trusting the patient approach the Wizards have prescribed for him.<\/p>\n<p>\"You won\u2019t know until you play in the game. That\u2019s why I\u2019m not rushing the process or trying to reinjure anything. Just trying to taking my time and taking it one day at a time,\" he said.<\/p>\n<p>The full podcast will be released on Feb. 14 ahead of All-Star weekend. Wall goes in-depth on many subjects including his rehab and the tragic passing of his mother.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong is=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb65a2b6cedb?site_id=Dig_RSN_Wash&amp;creative_id=nbcswash1200&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcswash1200\" is=\"\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports. Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream Capitals and Wizards games easily from your device.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>MORE WIZARDS NEWS:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Sticking to the Plan:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/wizards-gm-tommy-sheppard-stuck-his-plan-despite-perceived-pressure-bradley-beals-comments\">GM didn't waver<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>If Beal Didn't Sign:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/bradley-beal-could-have-caused-unprecedented-bidding-war-nba-trade-deadline\">A big bidding war<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Sipping:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/john-wall-nails-seated-trick-shot-sits-back-and-sips-his-coffee\">Wall nails trick shot while injured<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/wizards-tipoff\/episodes\/050643b3-418e-4b2f-b11a-37e0531fdd18\/embed?theme=light-custom\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n"
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Wizards

Wizards

Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard has now let everyone know John Wall is expected to return next season as he continues to recover from a ruptured left Achilles tendon. Wall understands why the team is being so cautious in holding him out that long, to the point he is already visualizing what his first game back to start the 2020-21 season will be like.

Wall sat down with NBC Sports Washington's Chris Miller for an upcoming episode of the Wizards Talk podcast and explained how he hopes his first game is at home.

"I’ve gotta be honest with you, if our first game isn’t in D.C. then I probably won’t play. Just to be realistic. I’m going to try to force the NBA for my first game to be at home next season," he said.

Wall went on to describe how he knows he will have plenty of "emotion and adrenaline" that night. He's going to be excited to get back not only because of the time he's missed - he will have sat 20 months when he plays his next game - but also because he feels fully healthy for the first time as an NBA player. 

Wall says even before he tore his Achilles, he dealt with bone spurs that required him to walk on his tippy-toes sometimes. But although he feels great, he is going to continue taking things slow, trusting the patient approach the Wizards have prescribed for him.

 

"You won’t know until you play in the game. That’s why I’m not rushing the process or trying to reinjure anything. Just trying to taking my time and taking it one day at a time," he said.

The full podcast will be released on Feb. 14 ahead of All-Star weekend. Wall goes in-depth on many subjects including his rehab and the tragic passing of his mother.

Click here to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports. Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream Capitals and Wizards games easily from your device.

MORE WIZARDS NEWS: