The Golden State Warriors have pressed pause on the James Wiseman experiment this season. Just before the 15-game mark of their season, the Warriors brass has decided to send their young big man to the G League.
Once upon a time, Jordan Poole was dealt the same fate. After an inconsistent sophomore season, the team decided to send him down for a few reps on the Santa Cruz Warriors. That move paid immediate dividends as Poole credits his time there as part of his development leading to his breakout third-year campaign.
Asked to comment on James Wiseman's recent assignment to the G League, Poole spoke candidly on his views about the move, via Anthony Slater:
“He's going to dominate it, first and foremost. I have the utmost confidence that he's gonna do that,” Jordan Poole said.
“I'm telling him ‘It’s not a demotion. It’s not punishment. You're gonna go down there and shoot as many shots as you want, get as many touches as you want, work on as many moves as you want. Just have fun. It's just basketball.”
Jordan Poole played 11 games in the G League right in the middle of the 2020-21 season, averaging 22.4 points per game while acting as the focal point for the Santa Cruz Warriors. Prior to getting sent down, Poole had been averaging less than seven points per game. After coming back and honing his skills, he more than doubled his scoring average for the second half of the season before breaking out entirely the following year.
Jordan Poole on James Wiseman going to the G-League (which Poole once did): “I told him it’s not a demotion. It’s not a punishment. He’s going to go down there and shoot as many shots as he wants, get as many touches as he wants, work on as many moves as he wants.” pic.twitter.com/ISivLSigjn
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 15, 2022
Warriors fans and even James Wiseman himself shouldn't expect the exact results from Jordan Poole's experience and growth timeline. But it's certainly a strong endorsement of what some G League run could do for a budding NBA player looking to contribute in the big leagues.
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