Jordan Poole is one of the rising stars in the NBA, playing for the Washington Wizards alongside Kyle Kuzma. The young guard has been impressive in his third season, averaging around 18 points and 4 assists per game. As we all know before he was traded from the Golden State Warriors, he had a memorable encounter with his former teammate Draymond Green.
Leaked footage showed that during a private practice last season, Green punched Poole in the face when he was looking, which caused him to collapse into a wall. The incident went viral on social media, sparking a lot of reactions from fans and analysts. Some speculated that Green was frustrated with Poole’s ego, while others defended Green’s leadership style.
Recently, a reporter asked Poole about the punch and whether it affected his play level last season. Poole gave a slick response, saying, “We’re in Washington now. Playing with Kuz. Great duo”.
He had a smile on his face, which many people on social media thought was a fake way for him to deal with the mental trauma that the punch may have caused him.
However, Poole’s response may have also showed that he is not dwelling on the past, but focusing on the present and the future. He’s not going to let the punch define him or his career.
You could also argue that he showed respect for his former teammate, who later apologized for the punch and praised Poole’s potential. He could have easily thrown Draymond under the bus by saying the punch affected his playing level.
What’s also interesting is that during this press conference Jordan Poole claimed he was prepared to get traded, at least “kind of”.
Poole’s slick response to a reporter’s question about Draymond Green’s punch was a professional and mature way of handling a difficult situation.
He demonstrated that he is not only a talented player on the court, but also a smart and confident one off the court.
