What’s in a name? Well, a lot -- if that name is Michael Jordan.
Any time you’re compared to His Airness on the basketball court, it’s probably a good thing.
Jordan Poole got some instant comparisons to MJ on Friday from NBC Sports Bay Area color commentator Kelenna Azubuike after an acrobatic layup in the fourth quarter. Poole attacked Memphis Grizzlies big man Jonas Valanciunas and juggled the ball mid-air but still converted the bucket.
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“He looked like the other Jordan there,” Azubuike said on the broadcast. “Michael Jordan. I’m just saying.”
The layup brought up memories of Jordan’s famous layup against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals.
OK, so the stakes weren’t nearly as high and Poole’s bucket won’t be immortalized forever, but it was still worth a highlight and a quick celebration.
As he walked back to the Golden State bench after Memphis called a timeout, Poole started moving his hands back and forth and smiling, in a nod to Jordan.
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“I just looked back at the bench,” Poole said. “Steph and the rest of the guys were cheering on the bench celebrating. Somebody threw this up and I liked it. I just tried to mimic it a little bit.”
Poole finished with 25 points in the 116-103 win for the Warriors while starting for Steph Curry, but this brush with greatness was a nice cherry on top.