Jordan Poole and Steph Curry have been engaged in a battle for halfcourt shot supremacy all season long.
On Sunday night in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Poole hit the marquee midcourt shot of the season from 39 feet out as the buzzer sounded in the third quarter. It capped off a ridiculous 19-2 run for the Warriors and resulted in a big hug from Curry, who looked like a proud big brother.
So, does Poole have a nickname yet to fit in with his Splash Bros?
“I've heard some really good ones. Kid Splash is pretty cool,” Poole said. “I don't know. I guess we'd have to go to the net to see what they have.”
Tired: Poole Party. Wired: Kid Splash.
During Tuesday's practice at TD Garden in Boston, Poole got the best of Curry in their midcourt shot competition once again.
Poole’s trifecta Sunday also helped him snap out of a bit of a funk to start the Finals, as he kept the momentum going into the fourth quarter and became the youngest player in NBA history to hit five 3-pointers in the Finals.
After Poole struggled to score nine points in Game 1, Curry and Thompson voiced their support for the 22-year-old rising star with raised expectations. Poole said he’s still in awe that he gets to share the floor with the Splash Brothers on such a big stage. Not only that, but he’s earned their trust.
“Every time I'm on the court I do feel that,” Poole said. “In terms of the whole Splash Nephew, Splash Kid, Splash Brother thing, I just feel like I knew I was capable, and I had two really great players in front of me who I was going to be able to learn from. I just had a really good intuition that it would go in the right direction.”
It wasn’t easy to see this coming.
The No. 28 overall selection in 2019, Poole struggled in his rookie season with some atrocious shooting numbers (33.3 FG%, 27.9 3FG%), before yo-yo’ing between the NBA and the G League his second season. Something clicked during his G League bubble stint in 2021.
With the way he finished off the 2020-21 season in Golden State and looked in training camp, the Warriors were expecting big things. Poole played a huge role in the team’s 23-5 start as a starter to begin the year, then readjusted with Thompson’s return. Now he’s become a valuable sixth man off the bench on a Finals team, in an ideal situation with Steph and Klay.
“Being able just to learn from them and kind of follow in their footsteps is pretty dope,” Poole said. “I always feel like I'd be able to make an impact, especially with those two guys in front of me and around me. I kind of felt like it would happen, it would just be a matter of time. But it's really cool, really special to be a part of for sure.”
It’s only Year 3 and Poole has arrived. There’s still kinks to work out, for sure, but the youngster’s power is undeniable.
“I think the biggest thing with Jordan is he just has great confidence and belief in himself which allows him to respond to a bad game or a tough shooting stretch, whatever it is,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We've seen him have monster games in the playoffs, we've seen him have some tough ones. But he's never afraid. He never shies away. I think that's one of his best qualities.”
In 18 games this postseason, he’s averaging 17.8 points, 4.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 3-pointers and 29.4 minutes per game, while shooting 51.6 percent from the floor and 39.8 percent from the floor. He has also been commended by teammates for buying in more on defense.
Poole’s rookie contract expires following next season and he’s played himself into a hefty raise the past few months. Kid Splash is about to get paid, with some projecting he could be signing a deal worth four years, $100 million. That’s on par with Draymond Green’s current contract. According to Spotrac, Poole is eligible for a max contract extension of five years, $186 – which would kick in for the 2023-24 campaign.
