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John Wall told reporters that it was just another game, but the setting of his interview suggested otherwise. As the visiting locker room filled up with media members during pregame availability, the Wizards decided to bring Wall out to midcourt to address the masses before his NBA debut.

While Wall spoke, his eyes darted around the building. The Amway Center was beginning to fill with fans and the rookie point guard was taking everything in for the first time.

He had been keeping to himself for the past twenty-four hours. He turned off his phone the night before, didn’t talk to anyone during the day and spent much of the afternoon putting up shots.

"I was able to do my normal routine. You’re going to be a little nervous before your first game and I’m a little bit nervous before every game," Wall said. "Yeah, I got jitters but once the game gets going I’ll be cool."

After the opening tip, things didn’t quite go as planned. The number one overall pick struggled from the field, finishing the night with 14 points on 6-19 shooting, and the Wizards got run out of the building 112-83.

"It was tough and it really taught me what I need to work on," Wall said after the game. "As a team, we have a lot that we have to work on."

It didn’t take the rookie long to realize the differences between the NBA and the college game that he dominated one year ago.

"I feel the same but it’s a different level. You can’t do the same things that you could do in college and it’s not as easy. You’re going against guys that have been here, the veteran guys, and I’m just ready to see where I stand," he explained.

The Wizards never led in the game and the Magic were able to rest their starters for much of the second half because the game had gotten so ugly.

"We got beat by 29 so he didn’t do very good," said a frustrated Flip Saunders when asked about Wall’s debut. "It’s not the most ideal situation or matchup for your first game, going against the Defensive Player of the Year who is patrolling the paint. But that’s part of the learning process."

The most frustrating part of the evening for Wall was missing open jumpers. During shootaround, he was taking jumper after jumper and getting noticeably upset when they weren’t falling. That trend continued into the game and the rookie wasn’t pleased with his shot afterwards.

"It was not making shots," said Wall while shaking his head. "That’s what I’ve been working on, making those shots, and I think they’ll start falling sooner than later. But for my first game to be a road game against one of the top teams that was in the Finals two years ago, that’s pretty tough."

Wall was able to get his teammates involved on several occasions and finished with nine assists. While the offense wasn’t running particularly smooth, Wall did a good job creating for others.

"He’s an assist first guy. The reason he’s shooting is because he’s sixteen feet away and he’s wide open. You have to take those shots but you have to make those shots. It’s not like he took bad shots," added Saunders.

While he took good shots, Wall would like to focus more on setting his teammates up in the future.

{AUTHOR_BOX}"I don’t ever like shooting as many shots as I did. I like to shoot 10 or 12 unless it’s a game where I’m hot and coach wants me taking those types of shots. But that’s what I had to do tonight. Some nights you’re going to make them and some nights you’re not. Tonight was a night that I didn’t make them."

When his shot wasn’t falling early on, Wall tried to get things going by driving to the basket. On his first lay-up attempt, the point guard was met at the rim by Dwight Howard, who pinned his shot against the backboard. The officials called goaltending so the first basket of Wall’s career came from Howard.

"Oh did it? I’m happy for him. I told him I was going to give him two points tonight," Dwight Howard joked after the game. "I like him, he’s going to have a great career. I just think he’s so fast that he just wants to play at that one speed. It takes awhile for rookies or anyone who is young to learn the game. I’m still learning and I’m twenty-four. Each year, the game slows down more for me and it’s going to slow down for him, but he’s an unbelievable talent."

After the game, Howard pulled Wall aside and personally delivered that same message.

"After the game, he told me to just slow down sometimes because it’s a long season, 82 games. That’s tough because coach wants me to push the ball, that’s what our team does, but it’s going to be great learning from talented players each and every night," said Wall.

Some of those talented players can be found in his own locker room. Wall’s veteran teammates, who have been helping him make the transition to the league, were impressed with his debut and feel it’ll only be a matter of time before he gets adjusted to the extra attention that will come in every city.

"He’s just real poised and doesn’t let all of this stuff get to his head," said Josh Howard. "He just wants to be ballplayer. He’s a young kid looking to have a good time in the NBA and as things evolve, he’ll get used to all of the hoopla."

That circus may have been a lot for Wall to handle on Thursday night but he’ll continue to adjust and improve as the season goes on. Following the loss, he had already started watching film on the Wizards’ next opponent, the Atlanta Hawks. With the nerves and distractions that come along with a debut behind him, it’s time to see what Wall is truly capable of doing at this level.