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Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole has been under the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons, and this time, it's courtesy of Stephen A Smith. Poole tried to taunt Payton Pritchard, and it completely backfired. On Tuesday's edition of First Take, the ESPN host had some harsh comments for Poole after his failed taunt on Pritchard.
“Gone from a champion [in the Warriors] to a [Wizards] team that since he has arrived is 18-88,” Smith said. “Seventy games under .500, but you showboated. That's why his a*s is in the nation's capital.”
Smith isn't wrong about the Wizards' abysmal record. However, it has more to do with who's around Poole than his production itself.
Although he was a part of the 2022 Golden State Warriors championship squad, he is still a young player. Poole knocked down some tough shots and even helped the Warriors win a game. Regardless, an incident with Draymond Green the next season limited any success.
Fast-forward, and he's officially in the Nation's Capital for the 2023-24 campaign. It was a rocky season, to say the least.
Going from a title-contending team to a rebuilding one is tough for any player. However, Smith expected more of a leadership role from the Wizards guard. Although Poole is embracing the alpha leader role for the Wizards, he thinks it should've happened sooner.
Stephen A Smith's criticism of Jordan Poole's taunt reveals youth of Wizards
Again, Smith's comments are rough because of his expectations of Poole. Being on a championship team means learning and implementing a championship standard. While it's tough to do in DC, it's still a skill that he knows. Establishing quality habits, regardless of performance, is pivotal for a rebuilding team. After all, the Wizards extended Poole in the 2024 offseason.
They have an extremely young team with at least six players having four seasons or fewer of NBA experience. Not to mention, their head coach is in his first full season. There hasn't been much improvement, but they have some accomplishments to hang their hats on. For example, the Wizards defeated the Denver Nuggets at home despite Nikola Jokic dropping 56 points in the loss.
However, there's much of the season left. While the Wizards are likely not competing for a playoff spot, their pride could be on the line. A 3-21 record isn't satisfying unless you're aiming for the No. 1 pick. If that's the case, then they're doing a good job. In the meantime, they'll look to hopefully build consistent habits but not the ones that Poole demonstrated.
