John Wall can fail.

I’m not talking math exams or anything school related. On the basketball court, John Wall can, and will, fail.

Let that sink in. Can the guy who hit the game-winning shot against Miami of Ohio really fail?

Can the guy who torched North Carolina in the first half and hit the game-clinching free throws against the Tar Heels really fail?

Can the guy who basically owns the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week award really fail?

John Wall, 19-year-old kid from Raleigh, N.C., will have a life full of success and failure, just like anyone else.

It’s hard to believe, since the Legend of John Wall has consumed Lexington since he signed with UK. YouTube flows with his highlight reels. Jerry Stackhouse went from NBA star to washed up in a matter of minutes, thanks to Wall.

Every national basketball writer, broadcaster and analyst loves him. If they could marry John Wall, they would. He’s basically promised to be the No. 1 pick in the next NBA Draft.

The Legend of John Wall hit the game-winner in his first real game in the UK jersey. The Legend of John Wall torched his hometown Tar Heels, who snubbed him in the recruiting process.

The Legend of John Wall has Mike DeCourcy for the Sporting News claiming him to be the best point guard prospect ever and Gary Parrish tweeting about the Legend of John Wall like he’s the only player in the NCAA. The Legend even has his own dance and his own drink at Two Keys (which, mind you, the real John Wall isn’t even old enough to get into).

The Legend of John Wall cannot fail. It will not fail. Even if the Legend tears every ligament in both legs Wednesday night against Connecticut, the Legend cannot fail. His contributions will be known forever. Spoke of constantly, even if he still leaves UK despite that injury. We’ll talk about ‘What if the Legend had stayed healthy?’

But John Wall, the real kid we watch play basketball two-to-three times a week can fail. He does it every game.

Wall is second on the team with 31 turnovers to this point in the season. Fellow freshman point guard Eric Bledsoe leads the team with 34 turnovers, but has played in one more game that Wall.

Those aren’t awful numbers, but so far UK has played one quality opponent: North Carolina. In that game, Wall had seven turnovers.

There’s a chance John Wall’s body fails as well. Muscle cramps shut him down for most of the second half against North Carolina. The simplest sports injury had taken the Legend off the court and made Wall human for a few minutes. UK was lost without him.

What if the muscle cramps hit at the worst possible time? What if there is a worse injury? Bodies aren’t always made to live up to legends. Just ask Greg Oden.

Knees can blow. Muscles can bulge. Surgery can slow even the best players. If Wall loses his quick feet and speed, he loses the elements that created the Legend.

Super-human athletes fail all the time. It’s human nature. Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods are two of the most prominent athletes in U.S. history. Both men have failed, both in competition and out of it.

Is John Wall bigger than those two? Not yet. He may never be.

But the legend of Michael Jordan has never failed. He’s still remembered as the best basketball player ever. MJ won championship after championship. His personal and on-the-court failures have been pushed aside from everyday memory.

Such is the same with John Wall. He’ll eventually mess up or come up just a little short. It could be in the biggest game of his career. But the more he accomplishes in the UK uniform the more the Legend grows.

Of which failure is not an option.

Kenny Colston is journalism senior. E-mail kcolston@kykernel.com.