The Golden State Warriors are one of the greatest dynasties in National Basketball Association (NBA) history. Since the 2015 season, the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have dominated the league, winning three championships and putting up the best regular season record in league history, 73-9. The driving offensive force of this powerhouse team has been the dynamic duo of Curry and Thompson, dubbed the “Splash Bros.” 

However, the Warriors owe their success in the 2022 NBA playoffs to third year guard from the University of Michigan, Jordan Poole. Poole has truly proven himself as a force to be reckoned with in his first ever playoff series.

For round one of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr made the decision to bench the veteran Curry due to his recent foot injury and give Poole an opportunity to control the Warrior’s backcourt. Poole seized this opportunity.

 Over the course of four games Poole was the team’s leading scorer with over 90 points. Poole has been an extremely dominant offensive maestro against the Denver Nuggets in round one and has hit many clutch three pointers, while also being an excellent floor general. This performance from a 28 overall pick who hasn’t yet made much noise in his career was truly an unexpected, but riveting phenomenon to witness for sports analysts and fans alike. It leaves the NBA community wondering, how can this be?

Poole spent the first three years of his NBA career filling in for an injured Thompson as the Warriors starting shooting guard. During this time he has gotten the privilege to share the backcourt with an all-time great and Future first ballot NBA Hall of Famer Curry. This sudden dominance in the playoffs may be a direct result of in-game experience and the mentorship of Curry, cultivated to make a true beast of a two guard. 

Additionally, Poole has also been subject to the leadership of Coach Kerr, who recently became the tenth winningest coach in NBA Playoffs history and is considered to be a legend of the coaching world. This would seem like many to be the perfect company of talent to produce an NBA star, and that reigns true in the case of Poole.

NBA fans have seen Poole perform as if he was a seasoned veteran in these playoffs because of a rapidly growing resume of achievements and kudos. Poole has been co-signed by the likes of Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James since making his playoff debut. He also became the second Warrior to ever score 25 or more points in their first three playoff games only behind NBA Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain in 1960.

In the 2019 NBA Draft, Poole was passed up by many teams in the first round including the Oklahoma City  Thunder. However Poole has seen more playoff success than players such as Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett who were both selected in the top three. Poole was truly a diamond in the rough and is making his name as the third Splash Bro.

Contact Jamison Joyce at [email protected]