Former Warriors guard Jordan Poole is building something new across the country in Washington, DC. But before he plays his first regular-season game in a Wizards uniform, he believes his basketball legacy is already set in stone thanks to his success in four years in the Bay Area.
“Playing the game I love at the highest level, my family is taken care of, my basketball legacy is preserved with this [championship] Ring,” Poole told The Ringer’s Logan Murdock. “This is probably the first time in my life that I’ve played basketball without pressure. So that’s how you see it.
“But [playing in Washington] is a really good opportunity. It’s a cool opportunity, a great opportunity.”
Poole went from first-round draft pick to G League player to championship contributor in his first three seasons with the Warriors. He took a huge leap forward in 2021-22 and had a huge impact on the Warriors’ 2022 championship, filling in for superstar guard Steph Curry when needed and otherwise providing the team’s spark off the bench.
When Curry missed the Warriors’ final 12 regular-season games this year, Poole started all 12 contests and averaged 25.8 points on 37.4 percent shooting from 3-point range. He led the team to five straight wins en route to the playoffs.
Poole was also at his best in the postseason. He started all five first-round games against the Denver Nuggets, leading the team in Game 1. He also scored 31 points in a Western Conference semifinal win over the Memphis Grizzlies. In the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Poole averaged 13.2 points while shooting 38.5 percent from 3-point range.
He more than earned his championship ring.
Now Poole is tasked with leading the Wizards, using the tools he learned from Curry, who has filled that role with Golden State since he was drafted in 2009.
“As a basketball player, you want to grow up as a kid and be the face of the franchise,” Poole said earlier this month. “It’s a really cool situation because I feel like I’ve learned, I’ve asked a lot of questions to be prepared for this moment.”
If Poole can build a consistent winner in Washington — an organization that hasn’t advanced beyond the Western Conference semifinals since 1979 — it would greatly enhance his legacy on the court.
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