Jordan Poole was lucky enough to learn from the Splash Brothers during his Warriors tenure, and that opportunity isn't something that's lost on the new Washington Wizards guard.
Meeting with media members Saturday for the first time since the blockbuster trade that sent him from Golden State to the East Coast, the 24-year-old reflected on the four reflected on his four seasons in the Bay with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and what he learned along the way.
"Well, those are the two greatest shooters of all time, in my opinion, personally, and there’s just things you learn in practice, in the game, on the road that you wouldn’t be able to learn not being in the mix, you know?" Poole told reporters gathered in Las Vegas for NBA Summer League games. "And I’m thankful for that, grateful for that, and you learn you apply it to your skill set, the things you want to be able to be good at."
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The Warriors dealt Poole to the Wizards last month in a draft-day trade that also sent Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins and two future draft picks to Washington in exchange for 38-year-old guard Chris Paul. While Poole once was viewed as the heir apparent to Curry in Warriors point guard lore, he now has a chance to step into an immediate leadership role with the Wizards and forge his own path.
And along the way, he knows he can count on the teammates with whom he won an NBA championship.
"We also built a relationship to where I can ask them. I can text Steph, I can text Klay, I can call them and just have a conversation," Poole said, then concluded with a smile. "So, that doesn’t leave. That doesn’t go anywhere. If anything, I just know the plays that they run -- split actions and high-ball screens, so competitive advantage."
Golden State Warriors
As Poole looks to regain his magic from his breakout 2021-22 season, Curry, Thompson and the rest of the Warriors also will be in search of the title magic from that season.
This time, they'll be on different sides as competitors. And Poole certainly will be eager to show his former teammates everything he learned from their guidance.