SAN FRANCISCO – Jordan Poole had done his best not to think much about returning to the Chase Center to face his former team. It wasn't until a few days ago that he actually spent much time answering questions about it.
When it was over, Poole spent quite a bit of time talking about it after Golden State's 129-118 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday night.
“The emotions were pretty normal, pretty stable,” said Poole, who had 25 points, three assists and two steals in nearly 27 minutes on the court. “I'm happy to be back. Felt pretty familiar, so it was good.”
It was a bittersweet night for Golden State's 2019 first-round draft pick, traded to the Wizards in the offseason in exchange for Chris Paul.
On the one hand, Washington lost for the ninth time in 11 games, falling to 5-23. On the other hand, Jordan was feted by the crowd at Chase Center, who serenaded him with cheers during the pregame introduction before a tribute video played on the giant scoreboard.
“It was awesome,” Poole said. “When we look back over the four years, everything we accomplished was really cool, really special. Grateful for Dub Nation. Not many people can say they have a ring here. It's pretty cool, something very special. Definitely something I will remember.”
Klay Thomspon was among those who stood and watched the video and said it gave him goosebumps.
“It shows you how quickly time really flies when you’re playing pro ball,” Thompson said. “It was great to see the fan reception for Jordan, he deserves it. It was like going down memory lane.'
In the days leading up to Friday's game, there was a lot of chatter in the Bay Area among fans and media about Poole, his tenure with Golden State and the Warriors' decision to get rid of him.
The move to trade Poole certainly wasn't unexpected, especially after Poole was punched in the face by Draymond Green in practice last season.
That made it clear that one of the two had to go, and the Warriors decided to stick with Green while sending Poole to Washington.
Since then, Poole has remained fairly quiet about the incident and his time with the Dubs. He couldn't avoid it as he stood in the Wizards' locker room after the game, surrounded by a crowd of reporters.
“I really connected with Dub Nation and became immersed in it throughout my tenure here,” Poole said. “It was really special to see that I got the love back.”
During the shootout, Poole got an early feel for what the night would be like. A circle of young fans from Israel stood on the sidelines watching, and Poole ended up passing the ball back and forth with the group.
“It's always cool when you go back to your old team and play and just see the emotions,” Washington's Kyle Kuzma said. “It’s always fun to be a teammate and watch that and see what he’s been a part of.”
Poole's return was so highly anticipated in these parts that someone posted on social media that the Warriors were handing out jerseys that read “Welcome Back, Jordan Poole” to fans who came to the game. A Warriors spokesman later said the image was fake.
Still, the point was clear. Golden State fans loved Poole when he played for them and still hold him in their hearts today.
“It was really cool what they did, how they did it,” said Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. “I think he enjoyed it. You could tell it meant a lot to him. He handled it with dignity. That tells me a lot about his mental strength.”
Poole came out and quickly made an impact, scoring the first points of the game with an 18-foot jumper. He also shot an airball in the second quarter, but ended the first half with a 3-pointer that cut the Warriors' lead to 63-61.
Poole shot 7 of 21 and was 3 of 12 on 3-pointers, not a great statistical night, but good enough as he was Washington's leading scorer.
After the game, Poole approached his former teammate Kevon Looney. The two chatted for a bit before swapping jerseys.
“He always had my back. I love the guy,” Poole said. “We talk all the time and chop it up. This relationship means a lot to me just because he has helped me all this time here. Greetings Loon.”
Poole also spoke with Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who had spoken very positively about Poole's time at Golden State two days earlier.
“Stylish, professional,” Poole said of Kerr. “It was really nice to see everyone. Great group.”
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