Selected with the 28th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Jordan Poole has exceeded expectations for the Golden State Warriors and is proving his recent success is no fluke.
The Golden State Warriors are feeling increasingly confident they found a diamond in the rough by drafting Jordan Poole.
To be polite, we’ll just say Poole’s rookie season didn’t go as planned. The leap from college to the NBA was not kind to Poole and it didn’t take long for the young guard to be dunked into the G-League.
The same goes for this season, as Poole was sent to Santa Cruz early in the season to hone his skills and become better equiped for the run he is currently on. Since his return to the Dubs, he’s averaging 14.8 points and 2.8 assists.
Poole is flourishing in his spark-plug role on the bench. He’s been trusted to hit the court and fill up the scoring sheet every night. His quick release is putting constant pressure on opposing defenses and he’s showing major improvements as an off-ball threat and pull-up shooter.
The craziest part? Poole isn’t even shooting that well from deep yet. He’s just 5-of-15 from the 3-point line in his last two games but those burts of scoring have been crucial in helping the Dubs rattle off four straight wins.
With as much confidence as Poole has, it’s only a matter of time before he begins drilling daggers with consistency. On the season, he’s clipping a respectable 34.7 percent of his deep attempts.
Whatever Poole’s ceiling is as a sixth man, there’s a good chance he’ll reach it. As Draymond Green told NBA.com – Poole is dedicated to his development.
"“I don’t know many people that work harder than Jordan… Now he’ll start to reap the rewards from that.”Via NBA.com"
Steve Kerr made similar remarks, noting Poole’s increase in confidence and praising him for his constant improvements.
Poole has responded well to each moment of increased responsbility. He is earning every minute and his prolonged success is proof that this recent stretch isn’t just a fluke. There’s no doubt Poole will be a pivotal member of the youg core next season as they embark on a journey back to the NBA Finals.