7 minute read
HAUTE MOVES
finally know now that, whenever John Wall quits playing basketball, he’s going to continue to bounce,” Wall declares, and I believe him. These recent trials and tribulations are par for the course on a rollercoaster of highs and lows he’s ridden his entire life.
He grew up in a low-income area of North Carolina, with a father who, having previously served time in prison for second-degree murder, was convicted of armed robbery when John was just a year old; he died of liver cancer just one month after his release from prison in 1999 at age 52. Wall’s half-brother, John Carroll Wall Jr., promised to take care of the family at their father’s funeral, but was incarcerated shortly after and wasn’t released until 2018. His mother, Frances Pulley, worked multiple jobs to support him, his sister, Cierra, and his half-sister, Tonya. But without any kind of stable male role model, Wall constantly got into fights, and was even cut from his high school basketball team as a sophomore for bad behavior.
“I became the man of the house at nine,” he recalls. “My mom worked four jobs, and I’d only see her when she took me and picked me up from school. I was always talented, always good, but I had a bad attitude. And then my tenth grade year, I got cut from the basketball team. That was the first time I ever saw my mom cry about basketball. She sat me down and was like, ‘Either you’re gonna change who you are and make life better and easier for the family, or you can go down the same road as your brother and dad and end up in jail or just be in trouble.’ And that’s when I started to take basketball to a whole other level. I was like, alright, I can’t disappoint her anymore. I’m going to make it out of here.”
As we all know, he did. And despite his rocky road, Wall has also had his fair share of scores. He has averaged 18.9 points, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 541 games with 529 starts in nine NBA seasons, joining Magic Johnson as the only players to post those averages in a career; has joined Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Chris Paul as the only players in NBA history to average at least 17 points, eight assists, and four rebounds through the first 345 games of their careers; has won Eastern Conference Player of the Week seven times in his career; is a five-time All-Star; and was selected as a member of the United States camp roster to compete for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup team (though had to withdraw his name from consideration for USA Basketball’s 2016 Rio Olympics team due to offseason knee surgery).
“I And now, he wants to make up for lost time. There will be no talk of retirement when he still has more to prove. “I feel like I’ve got another five, six more good years in me. At this point in my career, I’m better with my diet, I know how to recover better, and I’m picking guys’ brains that invest in their bodies on how to continue to have longevity in their careers. I’m not done yet,” he maintains. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t looking at what’s next. How could he ignore the wonders that Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world, has to offer? He’s not a fool. He shares that he’s going back to finish his degree in business management, that he’s investing in different ventures, including two cannabis chains, a bike company, and a liquor brand. He has an investment manager. And one day in the future, when he does retire from basketball, he wants to become a coach or GM. He’ll also continue to focus on the work that he does through his John Wall Family Foundation, the non-profit he founded 12 years ago, which continues to strive to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged families and to impact the lives of atrisk youth in North Carolina and Washington, DC. After we chat about the good he’s done for his hometown communities, we move on to the other things he loves, and there are many. “I’ve got a big heart and I love giving back to my community; trying to help other people as much as possible. I love the game of basketball. I’m big on family: I stand by ‘loyalty is love.’ And I live by my favorite quote, ‘Never satisfied, so determined.’ No matter where you make it in life, you should always be determined to get more out of it.” Which is why he’s back with a vengeance and drive to make as much of this new chapter as possible. “I’m grateful to be alive. I’m grateful that I have the luxury of waking up every day, and breathing, that I get another day on earth, being able to play the game I love, and to be a father to my kids.” He’s grateful for both his strengths and weaknesses; that his Achilles has mended so he can bowl three times a week (he’s hardcore, despite not owning his own ball or Big Lebowski-style ensemble... yet); and that he has a slew of new and understanding teammates to join his legendary spades gaming nights at Casa Wall. Most of all, he’s grateful for second chances. “I definitely think I’m improving as a person,” he admits. “I’m a better father, a better basketball player. And I know now not to take this time for granted.”
Maserati Ghibli Trofeo
Bravissimo!
BY TIM LAPPEN
WHEN I WAS OFFERED A WEEK WITH THE MASERATI GHIBLI TROFEO, I didn’t immediately jump at the chance. I knew that the Ghibli was the younger sibling of the Quattroporte, and thought that it must be an underpowered, weaker family member. Boy, was I wrong.
The Ghibli — the smaller of the two four-door sedans in the Maserati family — is named after a strong, hot desert wind in Libya, also called a sirocco. This Maser comes in four flavors, with varying degrees of power and an increasing base price (see chart below).
The Trofeo (“Trophy”) model is clearly the most robust Ghibli in terms of competence and performance. The twin-turbo V8 engine has 538 lb-ft of torque, sufficient for even the most jaded to experience excitement. The eight-speed automatic transmission can also be operated via the paddle shifters, which is my preference. I especially like the throaty sound of the exhaust coupled with the g-force produced on acceleration.
While not too dissimilar in appearance from the other Ghiblis, it does have some special tri-color badging, a blacked-out grill, and carbon fiber at the front splitter and the front intakes. The V8 needs more air for breathing than the V6, so the Ghibli hood provides open vents, another distinguishing detail. The system is clearly effective, as I had no overheating problems during my time with this special car. It drove like a dream everywhere I went — not just to the grocery store or around for errands, but also so on some freeway runs and even up to Mulholland Highway.
On top of the base price, “mine” (for the week) had $25,000 in options, most notably the $3,200 “Pelletessuta,” woven Napa leather textile sports seats designed with Ermenegildo Zegna, of the custom-suit fame, so you know they’re top-drawer. An unusual and elegant fabric, it adds a special look to the Trofeo interior. The high-end sound system and anodized red brake calipers are de rigueur these days, and were included on my car ($2,500 and $1,500, respectively).
The Trofeo is a great car for driving — roomy enough for five passengers, a trunk large enough for their belongings, and enough power to thrill them all. The engine sound alone is worth the price of admission, and it’s even adjustable in case you want to tone it down for the neighbors. With the engine designed by Maserati and assembled by engineers at Ferrari, the gorgeous red cylinder heads on the motor portend what’s to come and look good doing so.
My time with the Trofeo ended way too quickly, but so be it. I had a great experience with the car and came away with a new-found admiration for the folks at Maserati who created it.
+ GHIBLI GT $82,300 base 345 hp V6 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds + GHIBLI MODENA $88,900 base 424 hp V6 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds + GHIBLI MODENA Q4 $91,600 base 424 hp V6 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds + GHIBLI TROFEO $118,500 base 580 hp V8 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds
