Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole has had a rocky last couple of years, to say the least. In October 2022, ex-Golden State Warriors teammate Draymond Green punched Poole in the face during an altercation at practice, just a few months removed from his stellar playoffs on the way to the NBA championship. As expected, the punch ruined team chemistry to the extent that the team decided to trade Poole to the Wizards in exchange for an aging Chris Paul. With all that said, though, Jordan Poole still had time to inspire kids with the same NBA hoop dreams.

A young fan caught up to the Wizards star during the NBA Summer League, and he had a lot of advice for the aspiring NBA player.

“Just keep grinding, bro. Always take care of school but always have fun. Basketball is a super fun sport so keep working and make sure you have a good time,” Poole said. When the kid asked for advice, he added, “Keep going bro. It'll be tough but it's always worth it. So, if you're in the gym more than anybody else, you'll have a good shot.”

From the G League to the Wizards

Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) shoots the ball as Portland Trail Blazers guard Dalano Banton (5) defends in the second half at Capital One Arena
© Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
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The Warriors' first-round pick in 2019 spent time in their G League affiliate for much of his rookie season, where he developed his scoring ability. Meanwhile, when Klay Thompson went down for the entire 2020-2021 season, Poole saw his chance and filled the role of guard scorer for the team.

As a shoot-first guard, Jordan Poole improved further in his breakout season of 2021-2022, where he averaged 18.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.4 rebounds on shooting splits of 44.8% from the field and 36.4% from three. In the playoffs, Poole averaged 17.0 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in 22 games, dramatically raising his splits to 50.8% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc.

This scoring punch added to the Warriors' offensive firepower, allowing them to capture their fourth NBA championship in six games over the Boston Celtics. Poole's terrific playoffs should have added him to the core of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but the punch happened, which may have effectively ended the Warriors dynasty, leading to Klay's departure for the Dallas Mavericks.

After the trade, the two-guard still thrived as the primary scorer on a bad team, but he had to get used to getting most of the defensive attention. His shooting splits dropped to a decent 41.3% from the field and 32.6% from three-point land.

The high-scoring Jordan Poole might not have the same juice as Curry to lead the Wizards to the postseason, but has already proven himself as a valuable asset who could provide value to any team.