Wall excited to join Lakers-Clippers rivalry: 'I love the stage'

The intercity rivalry between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers has John Wall enthusiastically looking forward to his first season with his new team.

Wall shared his thoughts on the rivalry in a recent interview with ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk, saying he's looking forward to playing under the bright lights that the "Battle of L.A." brings.

"We know who they have over there, and we know who we have on our side," the five-time NBA All-Star said.

"So I think it's gonna be a great battle, and I think it's a great opportunity for me. I think a lot of people get to see me play on TV, and me being with Kawhi (Leonard) and those guys, they have a lot of TV games. I love the stage. When the lights is bright, that's the best time to perform. So I'm excited for it."

The Clippers won the "Battle of L.A." last season, sweeping the Lakers 4-0. All four wins came without Leonard, who remained sidelined for the entire campaign while recovering from a torn ACL.

Wall signed a two-year deal with the Clippers earlier this month after reaching a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets.