John Wall assumed a bigger leadership role for the Washington Wizards after they were unable to sign a star free agent such as Kevin Durant or Al Horford.

The Wizards spent several seasons planning to have cap space for the 2017 free agency class.

“It put more pressure on me to be the main guy, to be the guy. I think it made it a role of, ‘OK, you’re the franchise guy,'” Wall told The Vertical. “I went back this year with a mind-set of, ‘This is definitely my team. We have to get it going.’ If I don’t lead these guys, on the court, in practice, show leadership off the court, talking to guys, talking in the locker room, we’re never going to get to where we want to go, never going to get to the promised land. We have an opportunity to do something special.”

Wall steps onto the court with the mind-set that he always belongs amongst the game's best players.

“That’s how I’ve been thinking this season,” Wall told The Vertical. “And that’s why I think I’ve been playing a lot better and not just going at guys, but having that mind-set when I step on the court. If I’m going against a LeBron or Kevin Durant, I might not be the best player overall than them, but in my mind, I’m the best player on that court. For me to know that I can take my game to another level and a lot of my peers appreciating what I’m doing this season, saying it’s a heck of a season you’re having, all I can do is use that as motivation because it’s a lot of guys I looked up to.”