When Jordan Poole was sent down to the G League last year, he didn’t feel like he needed to be there. After all, he was a first-round pick of the Warriors in 2019.
But, as Poole told Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner on the "Point Forward" podcast, his mentality shifted. After embracing the opportunity for playing time and to take on a leadership role on the Santa Cruz Warriors, Poole came back to the NBA for his third season a totally different, much-improved player.
It’s paying dividends as the 22-year-old is one of the reasons why the Warriors entered Thursday one win away from reaching the NBA Finals.
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“I never felt like I needed to play in the G when they sent me,” Poole said on the podcast after Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Mavericks. “I felt like I was playing good. I just didn’t get the opportunity.”
Poole’s first two seasons in the NBA showed flashes of potential, but he struggled with consistency. He averaged 8.8 points per game his rookie season and 12.0 points his second year.
It was during the 2020-21 season when Poole spent some extended time in Santa Cruz, where he averaged 22.4 points in 11 games. During that stretch, he motivated himself, knowing that he wanted to come back to the NBA with more skills in his toolbox.
“I go down there, I’m like, ‘Alright, I know I'm going to end up being back up,’” Poole said. “And eventually I'm going to be the guy. Let me look at this opportunity as that. No matter what, we’re finna win these games. If it’s close games, I'm taking the shots, making the plays. I’m getting everybody else involved.”
Golden State Warriors
Poole revealed that he would try to emulate Steph Curry’s routine during a game.
“Just seeing where Steph is getting his shots early,” Poole said. “When is he being aggressive? When is he passing? Clock management – just real stuff that I know I’m going to see in [an NBA game], I did it in the G.”
Poole’s G League mindset paid off, as he’s been touted as a prime example of a young player who benefited from time in the G League. By looking at it more as an opportunity to grow than as a demotion for not playing well with the big club, Poole came back to the NBA with the confidence and ability that allowed him to become a key contributor on a championship contender.
Related: Poole explains what he had to overcome early on with Dubs
During the 2021-22 regular season, Poole averaged 18.5 points per game, making his big jump during the early part of the season when Klay Thompson was still injured and was in discussions for the Most Improved Player Award.
Now, instead of emulating Curry, Poole is playing alongside him in crunch time deep into a playoff run. It’s safe to say he won’t be spending any more time in the G League.