Patient Poole turns Warriors playoff dreams into reality

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The Warriors selected Jordan Poole with the No. 28 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, just one day after his 20th birthday. Golden State had just lost a brutal series with the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals where they saw Klay Thompson tear his ACL and Kevin Durant tear his Achilles, all while questions swirled about KD's future in the Bay Area and most correctly guessed his time as a Warrior was over. 

Add in the fact that many believed Poole was a reach at the end of the first round, and the young guard was thrown to the wolves after two years at Michigan. None of that mattered to him, though.

Poole had one goal in mind the minute he stepped into the Warriors' building: Winning a ring. 

"Jordan's been asking questions about the playoffs since his rookie year," Kevon Looney said Friday to reporters. "He's been excited for this moment." 

As a rookie, Poole averaged just 8.8 points per game on an injury-stricken Warriors team that finished with the worst record in the league at 15-50. By most accounts, he didn't look like he was ready to compete at the highest level. Just last season, he had to go to the G League bubble in Orlando to find consistent minutes while the Warriors were trying to compete. He returned a changed player and the rest is history. 

The 22-year-old has shined as a starter and coming off the bench. Draymond Green has clamored for Poole's case to win the NBA's Most Improved Player. Steve Kerr has praised his work ethic and Andre Iguodala believes he's on the trajectory of a max-contract player. Game by game, he looks like a steal in the draft one season after some deemed him a bust.

In every way possible, Poole has shown he's ready for the brightest spotlight

Internally, that confidence has always been there for the third-year pro.

"Since Day 1," Poole said when asked when he felt like he belonged in the NBA and could play with the likes of Klay and Steph Curry. "As soon as I walked in, I knew I belonged, it would just be a matter of time until I was able to show that." 

No player wishes to wait their turn. Poole's a competitor and of course, wanted to play the moment the Warriors called his name. He could have pouted his way to the Sunshine State in the G League bubble. He could have gone through the motions and seen the assignment as a punishment. Instead, he stepped on the gas and never look back. 

He has been all ears from some of the game's greatest minds and has soaked up as much knowledge as possible to match his natural skills on the court.

The wait was worth it, and it led to this exact moment ahead of Poole's first playoff experience.

"It was also extremely beneficial to see the highest level of basketball players in here every single day," Poole said. "You can't help but learn. It was a blessing. It was a dream just being able to watch those guys. 

"I personally wanted to take advantage of it as much as I could. I feel like I've done a pretty good job so far."

RELATED: Poole, Wiggins focused on winning, not closing lineup uncertainty

The rising star isn't worried about if he'll start or come off the bench. He knows he'll be on the floor when the Warriors need him most and said the best piece of advice he has received so far regarding the playoffs is to stick to the plan.

Poole's plan has taken some unexpected turns and now has landed him where he always expected to be. He first showed he isn't scared of the moment when he drained a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to send Michigan to the Sweet 16 as a freshman and has proven he's ready for whatever is thrown his way in the playoffs. 

While the limelight has reached new heights for Poole, the goal has remained the same: Bring a championship back to the Bay. He sees himself as just one piece to the puzzle. Defying expectations along the way, the importance of that piece only became more evident as the season went on. 

Throughout the season, he has turned questions into answers with his results, and now his curiosity over the past three years has him in position to be more than even the Warriors could have hoped for. 

"You're never bigger than anybody else," Poole says. "I think we have vets on our team who really show that. Steph is a prime example. You don't know everything. You can have as much faith and trust and confidence in yourself, but there's always something that you can learn. 

"I'm always searching for that piece of information that can kind of push me over the top, while still working on my game and putting me in position to be as good as I can be and to help my teammates become better as well. Just being humble, having humility and gratitude and just being thankful for the situation that we're in."

Jordan Poole is ready for the playoffs. The proof is in the pudding. He earned everything that's about to come his way.

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