Jordan Poole says 'only a matter of time' before Wizards reach mountaintop
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In a Washington Wizards season defined by player development amid adversity, Jordan Poole has had a different experience from his Golden State Warriors days. The Michigan alum was a backup on a squad with future Hall of Famers Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green before getting traded to the rebuilding Wizards in July 2023, where he’s now the best player.
Poole reflected on the differences between the two teams on Monday, via Andscape’s Marc Sears.
"I'm coming from an organization [Golden State] where everything is under the spotlight. Like everything," the 2022 NBA champion said. "Practice, travel, games, players. But the [opposing] players know me now. The [opposing] coaches definitely know me because the way I'm seeing coverages throughout the course of the game, they're very aware of me.”
"New environment, new situation,” he said about Washington. “‘It's only a matter of time before we put ourselves in that situation too, to be at the biggest stage as well. It's what we're grinding for."
Poole went from the last legs of an iconic dynasty to a young team built by a new regime. While Washington likely won’t win a title before 2029, the 25-year-old is in no rush.
“Everything's a matter of time. I know what I'm capable of [as a leader],” he said. “I know the time I put in. I know how this stuff works and how it pans out. Everybody's extremely thirsty to jump the gun or almost hit you with an, 'I told you so,' especially in today's society. It just takes a little bit of delayed gratification.”
Poole was referencing a video from last season in which he said, “It’s my team, I got this” outside of the Wizards’ huddle during a timeout while then-head coach Wes Unseld Jr. was drawing up a play. The Milwaukee native was criticized for this, as he was new to the team and struggled initially, averaging just 15.6 points per game on 40 percent shooting (30.3 percent 3 PT). He often lacked effort defensively and took either contested shots or threes far beyond the arc.
However, Unseld Jr. was fired in January 2024, and Washington’s then-interim head coach Brian Keefe benched Poole after the All-Star break. Keefe wanted the speedy combo guard to step up defensively and be more disciplined offensively, and it worked. He averaged 20.5 points and 4.3 assists in 12 games off the bench before replacing an injured Tyus Jones in the starting lineup. He hasn’t looked back, as he’s averaging career-highs in points (21.1), assists (4.7), three-point percentage (37.4), and minutes (31) this season.
“Things take time to get right, especially if you're in a unique and new situation,” Poole continued. “So, I was never worried about that because now it's panning out. And I think we got a vision now. So, I stand by what I said.”
That “vision” is building through the draft and acquiring the right veterans to mentor the young talent. “Poole Party” is a part of that mentorship, and will be through 2027 unless the Wizards trade him before then. He’ll be 27 at that point, right in his prime as they challenge for Play-In seeding if the rebuild goes well.
Will Jordan Poole win a championship with the Wizards?
There’s no guarantee that Poole will re-sign with Washington, but he does believe in the core it’s building.
“The ceiling is high. We got a lot of guys in here who care, a lot of talented guys, a lot of guys who just love to hoop and they just love the game,” he said. “And that goes a really long way and they're young and they're learning. What is helping them is that they're getting a chance to do it in real time. They're on the court, they're going up against these matchups. They're going up against KD [Kevin Durant]. They're guarding James Harden night in and night out.”
Indeed, the Wiz Kids’ progress is notable. Two-time Rising Star Bilal Coulibaly is averaging 12.3 points and 3.4 assists this season after posting just 8.4 and 1.7 as a rookie last year. The 20-year-old also routinely guards the opponent’s best player, holding Trae Young to 16 points (5-28 FG) with 10 turnovers in four matchups this season, Jayson Tatum to 16 points (7-20) FG in three, and Steph Curry 17 (7-18 FG) in two to name a few, via NBA Advanced Stats.
Additionally, Alex Sarr (19) is the youngest player in NBA history to record 60 made threes, 305 rebounds, 105 assists, and 70 blocks to start a career. Bub Carrington leads all rookies with 29.3 minutes per game and is second with four assists a night, while Kyshawn George is tied for the lead with 0.9 steals. The latter hooper is also averaging 11.8 points in March after posting just 5.4 a night in December.
“I was lucky enough to have that experience [of facing the best players consistently] and I felt like it kind of sped up my process,” Poole continued. “I'm really excited for them. The coaches are doing a really good job of coaching us hard, teaching us the right way and not letting anything slide. It's just a matter of time of just being locked in and letting everything take care of itself.”
The Wizards’ new regime has established a culture of patience and hard work on a slow rise to the top. Now, the next step is to land a star prospect in at least one of the next two drafts to build the franchise around. Depending on how that goes, an NBA title could be in play by 2029.
Poole might not be around for that, but he’s helping Washington plant the seeds.
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