The influx of new talent to the Golden State Warriors during the team’s youth movement means the team’s core players — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green — will have some new teammates to get to know. That also means the Dub Nation faithful will have some new players to cheer for when the 2019-20 NBA season tips off in October.
To help Golden State fans get to know these Bay Area newbies, Warriors Wire brings you this “3 things to know” series.
Here’s what you need to know about the Warriors’ new backup shooting guard:
Jordan Poole
Position: Shooting Guard
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 191 lbs
NBA experience: Rookie/No. 28 overall pick in 2019 NBA Draft (Michigan)
2018-19 averages: 33.1 minutes, 12.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 43.6% field goals, 40% three-pointers, 83.3% free throws
How he can help the Warriors
With so many seasoned guards on the roster, Poole will receive limited minutes unless Warriors coach Steve Kerr wants to give him some freedom in garbage time for the purposes of observation and development. But with Shaun Livingston no longer with the team (or in the NBA), Golden State will need a capable, playmaking guard to come off the bench, whether as the second or third option, and Poole has potential to be effective.
In Summer League this past July, he settled into confident play, displaying an array of skills that will benefit the Warriors’ second unit.
Poole’s toolkit
- Quick hands, likes to pick pockets
- Sharp court vision
- Excellent ballhandling, can make unsuspecting passes, even behind the back (!)
- Shrewd playmaking, can get his guys or himself open for clean looks, good at spreading the floor
- Fairly speed, can split defenders to score at the rim
- Solid shooter near, and outside of, the perimeter
Area(s) of concern
Poole’s Summer League performance showed promise, as did his final season at Michigan. But he didn’t fare as well in the California Classic, indicating perhaps that the bright lights of the NBA may take some getting used to. More of a concern, though, will be his ability to adjust to, and thrive with, limited, inconsistent playing time.
Poole averaged 29.0 minutes at Summer League for an average 17.8 points (40% field goal shooting) and 2.3 steals per game. Yet to be seen is what his production will be like when he is dropped to one or two hit-or-miss minutes. Jordan Bell, for example, who is now with the Minnesota Timberwolves, struggled to find a rhythm in limited minutes and, therefore, had a hard time carving out a role with the team. Coach Kerr will be looking for quicker acclimation from Poole.
Fun fact(s)
Cat lover. As in, his cats are his children. Will his love of felines imperil his ability to fit in with his teammates, who largely favor dogs?
Understated social media presence. Many people rely on social media for their professions, and basketball players are no exception. But Poole has a remarkably low presence on social, especially for someone his age. A Twitter account could not be found for him and his Instagram — jordan_poole (DEADPOOL3) — has exactly nine posts at the time of publication.
Fashion forward. Poole likes to wear sock-less loafers and funky glasses. He also favors shorter shorts like his WNBA counterpart, 2019 draft pick Sophie Cunningham (Mizzou/Phoenix Mercury). Go ahead, do some Googling.
