Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole is a polarizing player who has elicited strong reactions from NBA fans for years. To some, he is the guy Draymond Green punched in the face during a Golden State Warriors practice. Others will call him the best player on an abysmal team (16-58) and treat him as such. It is important to remember, however, that this man also played an integral role in the Dubs winning their most recent championship.
The 25-year-old has already enjoyed NBA success and has time to get better. He achieved a milestone in Saturday night's home game versus the Brooklyn Nets. Poole drained the 1,000th 3-pointer of his career in the third quarter, via Wizards Nation. He struggled from the field for much of the contest (12 points on 2-of-9 shooting) but knocked down a bucket that gave Washington the lead at the time, before an eventual 115-112 loss.
Following a woefully inefficient first year in the D.C. area, Poole has become far more comfortable as a core member of the squad during the 2024-25 season. He is posting 20.4 points, 4.5 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while shooting a career-high 37.9 percent from 3-point range. His 42.9 field goal percentage is admittedly not up to par, but the No. 28 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft has significantly improved from distance.
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Can Jordan Poole and the Wizards grow together?
While Poole might not morph into the unquestioned face of the Wizards, considering they have invested high draft picks in Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly, he could possibly serve as a crucial member of the team once the rebuilding phase ends. If it ever does end, that is.
The Wizards are desperately hoping they can secure the golden lottery ticket on May 12, which will give them the power to select Duke phenom Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall selection this summer. But Jordan Poole could provide a vital scoring punch while and after the 18-year-old forward finds his NBA footing. Maybe when it is time for him to celebrate his next feat, he will be on a competitive Washington squad.
That is a fantasy both Poole and the fan base share.
a]:text-link [&_>a]:underline">Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints, providing a unique writing voice due to his in-depth knowledge of New York sports. Alex resides in Connecticut after receiving his journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island.