Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole developed a strong bond during their time together on the Warriors.
With Poole returning to Chase Center on Friday night for the first time since being traded to the Washington Wizards over the summer, Wiggins gave some insight into his relationship with the former Warriors guard while addressing the media on Thursday.
"That's my little bro right there," Wiggins told reporters. "He's a joy to be around. He's like a little goofy kid, always joking around, but worked hard. One of the hardest workers I've seen around my way in the NBA. But he's a great kid, a great human and he's going to do great things in this league."
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While Poole no longer is his teammate, Wiggins revealed that the two have remained in close contact since the former's departure.
"I was just texting him the other day, checking up on him, just seeing how he was doing and everything like that, but we always chop it up," Wiggins explained.
The All-Star forward then detailed what he looks forward to the most about Poole's return to the Bay Area, citing his own experiences as an NBA player playing against his former team for the first time.
"Just seeing him hoop, playing against him," Wiggins said. "It's always a fun game when you play the team you used to be on. When I used to play the [Timberwolves] it was like that before, but as time goes on it becomes more normal. That first game back I know there's a lot of emotions and it's a fun competitive game, so I'm looking forward to it."
Golden State Warriors
When asked about his favorite memory of the Warriors' championship run during the 2021-22 NBA season when Poole was a pivotal part of Golden State's success, Wiggins immediately pointed to the cohesiveness on the roster that cultivated a strong culture.
"Man, just the way the whole team was. The way we were all connected," Wiggins shared. "The way we were all gelling on and off the court, supporting one another, it was a great environment to be a part of and a great environment to see."
Wiggins also revealed that he was highly impressed with how Poole conducted himself during his final season with the Warriors following a preseason altercation with Draymond Green in October 2022.
"I feel like he handled it better than 99 percent of people would," Wiggins shared. I feel like he handled it like a true professional."
Poole is averaging 17.2 points on 41-percent shooting in 29.5 minutes per game for Washington this season. His return to the arena he called home for the first four seasons of his career will be must-see television as the Warriors aim to build on their current three-game winning streak.
On Friday night, Wiggins was ruled out of the matchup with the Wizards due to a general illness.