John Wall, Josh Howard in Town for Autograph Session with Trevor Booker

Even though Mauldin is the hometown to a future basketball Hall of Famer it is still news when three NBA players come to town. So it was no surprise that hundreds turned out earlier this month when John Wall and Josh Howard joined Washington Wizards teammate and Clemson grad for an autograph session during the .

It was the first time Wall had returned to South Carolina since he was a member of a top-ranked Kentucky team that was knocked off 68-62 by an upstart Gamecock squad in Columbia.

When reminded of this, Wall laughed and said, “I don’t have bad memories about South Carolina. They just played better than us that night.”

Wall was greeted by several fans sporting Kentucky gear who waited in line to get a photo and autograph with the first pick in last year’s NBA draft.

He wasn’t surprised to see Wildcats fans in the Upstate. “Kentucky fans always support you. No matter how long you were there or how long you’ve been gone.”

Wall’s first year as a pro was an adjustment in many respects. In his year at Kentucky he lost three games. Last year with the Wizards he lost 59. But that was to be expected since the Wizards are in a rebuilding mode. The biggest adjustment for Wall was all the time on the road.

“Traveling is the toughest part,” Wall said. “There are times when we don’t get into a town until early in the morning and then have a meeting at 9 o’clock. That’s a big change from college.”

The lack of sleep didn’t affect his play as Wall averaged 16.4 points and 8.3 assists per game, which earned him a spot on the All-Rookie First Team. Because of his prominence as the first overall pick and his position as a point guard, Wall was put into a leadership position even though he has yet to reach his 21^st birthday. Leadership responsibilities are ones that Wall does not shy away from. “I pulled back a little when I was out (Wall missed 13 games due to injury), but I know what I need to do. I’m focused on working hard this summer and supporting my teammates.”

The lessons that Wall is learning now are ones that Howard, an eight-year veteran, learned long ago. Constantly being in the spotlight isn’t easy. “You’ve just got to figure out a way to work it out for yourself,” Howard said.

And working it out is something Howard has definitely done. The former Wake Forest star and unanimous ACC Player of the Year was a fixture with the Dallas Mavericks. He helped the Mavs reach the 2006 NBA Finals against Miami (a defeat they avenged this month) and was chosen for the All-Star game in 2007.

In 2010, Howard was dealt to the Wizards in a seven-player trade. Since the trade, Howard has been beset with injuries, limited to just 53 games in the last two seasons.

But almost from the time Howard established himself in the NBA he has sought to give back. His foundation has been operating for six years and one of its key elements is to provide scholarship money for needy kids.

In addition to showing Booker the ropes on the court, Howard is helping him out off of it. And his visit to Mauldin was part of that effort. “I want to help (Trevor) get his foundation started off right,” Howard said.

Since coming to the Wizards, Howard has been part of a rebuilding process on a team with multiple rookies. He thinks next year they can turn the corner. “It’s tough when you’re that young to stay motivated, but we have a group of guys that are working real hard,” he said.

But the hard work this offseason could be for naught, as negotiations have stalled on a new collective bargaining agreement between the NBA players and owners. The possibility of lockout or strike is a real one.

“You just have to put that out of your mind and stay in shape because you never what could happen,” Howard.

Thoughts of a lockout were far from the minds of fans who turned out in droves to see a few of the NBA’s finest on an afternoon that will surely be remembered for some time.