Golden State Warriors guard hails greatness of Stephen Curry and LeBron James
On Tuesday night, the Golden State Warriors opened the season on their home court to collect their championship rings. Following the ceremony, they hosted LeBron James and the LA Lakers. The defending champs kicked off the year in the win column with a final score of 123-109.
Along with the ring celebration, this matchup also featured two of the game's greatest talents. Steph Curry and LeBron James' battles are well documented, and the two added the latest chapter to their story on Tuesday.
One of the new faces of this storied rivalry is Jordan Poole. Fresh off signing an $140 million contract extension last week, the guard posted 12 points and seven assists in the win.
Following the matchup, Poole opened up on the chance to share the floor with two all-time greats in Curry and LeBron. He didn't take moments like this for granted, and was thankful he got to learn from players like them:
"It's truly fun to be a part of, really fun to watch. The guys have been on top of the league for so long, they are historic players. Just being able to be on the court with them and watch the greatness that they put on. As well as learning and asking questions is special."
"Just being able to be on the court with them and watch the greatness that they put on as well as learning and asking questions is special"
Jordan Poole on sharing the court with Stephen Curry and LeBron James. #KiaTipOff22 https://t.co/1Bi4fl1g6R
Golden State Warriors have found their heir to Steph Curry
Fresh off winning the championship last season, the Golden State Warriors find themselves in an interesting position. Not only are they still in the title hunt, but they've set themselves up nicely for the future.
Over the past decade, Steph Curry has been a pillar for Golden State. Along with cementing himself as one of the greatest 3-point shooters ever, he also became the face of a dynasty.
While Curry is still playing at a high level, Father Time is undefeated. At 34-year-old, his days as a top star in the league are numbered. Luckily for the Warriors, they already have someone waiting in the wings to take the mantle from him.
After spending time in the G-League two years ago, Jordan Poole burst onto the scene last season In 76 games, he averaged 18.5 points and four assists. His ability to come off the bench and be a microwave scorer gave the Warriors even more firepower behind their backcourt of Curry and Klay Thompson.
Seeing how he performed last season, Golden State sees Poole as someone who could carry the team in the future. If they hadn't, they wouldn't have invested so much money in him. It's clear the organization wants him to become the guy when Curry's time at the top is over.
Poole finds himself in the perfect situation in terms of development. Golden State has a strong culture and understands what it takes to win at the highest level. On top of that, he gets to learn under one of the best players ever in his position. When his time comes, he should be more than ready to lead the Warriors into the post-Curry era.