How Jordan Poole has stepped up for Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors didn’t waste any time growing excited about Jordan Poole when he was drafted late in the 2019 NBA Draft. Dubbed the second coming of Swaggy P (Nick Young), the Dubs hoped Poole’s flashy 3-point shooting and crafty ball handle would make him a consistent spark plug with the second unit.

His rookie season didn’t do much to build on that excitement. Injuries to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson tossed Poole into the fire and his introduction to the NBA came with a steep learning curve that caused him to play poorly.

In a sign of true strength, Poole put his head down and continued to work on his game. Over a year later, he had the best game of his career with 38 points and 6 assists — leading the Dubs to a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans without Stephen Curry.

Jordan Poole is turning into the player everyone hoped he would be and his development couldn’t have come at a better time for the Golden State Warriors.

Poole has lifted his season scoring to over double-digits and is shooting a career-best from both the field and 3-point line. His catch-and-shoot accuracy is up from 29.9 percent as a rookie to 37.0 percent as a sophomore. He’s been particularly good as of late, clipping nearly 50 percent of his overall attempts and scoring over 15 points per game over his last five.

One thing that can’t be computed by a stat is his increased confidence. Poole has taken and made some impressive shots over the last few months. There is no hesitation in his game anymore and he looks more comfortable handling the ball in crucial moments.

Specifically, Poole has stepped up against higher competition. He scored 20 points in back-to-back games against the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns, connecting on 7-of-16 attempts (43.8 percent) from the 3-point line.

As for other aspects of the game, Poole may not be averaging jaw-dropping assist numbers but he has proven to be a creative live-action passer. He is unpolished, as to be expected from a 21-year-old, but his court-vision is a positive point of emphasis moving forward.

This recent hot-streak from Poole has pushed him higher in the Dubs’ rotation and I’d expect him to remain a pivotal member of the team as they enter the postseason. His scoring on the bench can be an absolute difference maker during times when the Dubs’ offense grows stagnant.