Golden State Warriors: Jordan Poole continues to elevate

In a season where just about everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, Jordan Poole has been an unwavering bright spot for the Golden State Warriors.

When Poole was drafted late in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft, the plan was for him to one day blossom into a quality role player. The type of guy who could play bursts of minutes and space the floor with the 3-point shooting he flashed in college.

By the end of his second NBA season, it became clear Poole could be more than that. He entered the 2021-22 season with the aspirations of becoming a bonafide Sixth Man — and he has once again surpassed those expectations.

It is time to start thinking about whether or not Jordan Poole has elevated to future All-Star or even All-NBA status for the Golden State Warriors.

Poole’s bag of tricks has been growing exponentially throughout the season. He’s wielding a lethal set of dribble moves, including a between-the-legs move to split a double-team that I’ve never seen before.

His handle has improved immensely while his ability to get to the rim has been the difference-maker for an already strong 3-point shooter. What’s more, Poole is looking more and more like Stephen Curry with the way he never stops moving away from the ball.

Poole is averaging 28.3 points and 5.4 assists on above 40% 3-point shooting since Curry’s injury. He’s been a better offensive sidekick than Klay Thompson, up to this point in the season and has earned all of the hype that is building.

In order to truly ascend to All-Star status and reach his potential, Poole will need to develop into a more trustworthy defender. He has been much improved this season, using his length to pester opponents but this factor remains the next step in his development.

At 22 years of age, the sky is the limit for Poole who has already flashed enough upside to get everyone in the Bay excited for the future.