The Washington Wizards may have fallen short at the Chase Center, but not without Jordan Poole putting on a show against the Golden State Warriors. Brendan Haywood commented on Poole’s 38-point display, highlighting how motivated the guard must feel when facing his former team.
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According to the NBA TV analyst, any player going up against their former team is driven to deliver an unforgettable performance. The desire to prove that the team made a mistake in letting them go serves as a motivation. For Poole, this determination to teach the Warriors a lesson helped elevate his game.
“You always want to show your former team that they made a mistake,” Haywood said.
“You always want to show your former team that they made a mistake” @bwood_33 on Jordan Poole’s standout performance so far vs the Warriors in The Bay ️ pic.twitter.com/BKQ8OAphe1
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 19, 2025
Poole enjoyed a successful tenure with the Warriors, highlighted by the 2022 championship. However, his final season with the team ended on a sour note, marked by a physical altercation with Draymond Green.
This incident adds an extra layer of motivation for Jordan Poole to perform at his best against his former team. The strained relationship with Green was further evident in Poole’s postgame remarks.
Poole loves “most of the guys” at the Warriors
Jordan Poole addressed his relationship with the Golden State Warriors players during the postgame interview, expressing mixed feelings about his former teammates.
“I love those guys over there. I love most of those guys over there,” Poole said.
“I love those guys over there. I love most of those guys over there,” Wizards guard Jordan Poole said on his former Warriors teammates.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) January 19, 2025
Draymond Green is likely among the few players he doesn’t hold much affection for.
Green has often commented on his strained relationship with the young guard. Not long ago, the Warriors leader expressed his regret about what transpired during the infamous GSW practice session.
“One of my biggest failures as a vet was what happened with Jordan Poole. And it took me to go through that failure with Jordan Poole, who was someone that came in and chose his locker to be next to me because he wanted to learn from me. Was someone that I would spend time with, someone I’d pour into, and I f**ked it all up,” Green said in a podcast.
These comments suggest that Green may feel remorse for his actions, but Poole’s silence indicates he has no interest in reconciliation.
