NBA Hoops

Warriors coach Steve Kerr believes defense ‘next step’ to improve for Jordan Poole in becoming a ‘legit two-way player’

Draymond Green Jordan Poole Warriors

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is optimistic that Jordan Poole is capable of transforming into a two-way player.

He believes that while there’s already no more offensive room to expand, Poole still has to develop his defensive tendencies.

“I don’t know that he can do anything more to step up offensively,” Kerr said in his guesting on 95.7 The Game’s “Damon & Ratto” (h/t NBC Sports’ Eduardo Razo). “So the area where he can still improve is at the defensive end. 

“I thought last year in the playoffs when he was fully engaged and really playing with physicality, he showed he can be a legit two-way player, but he knows he hasn’t become that consistently. And so that’s the next step for Jordan.”

Poole had a giant leap in the 2021-2022 season wherein his offensive production bloomed as a microwave guard. Averaging career highs in points (18.5), boards (3.4), assists (4.0), field-goal percentage (44.8 percent) and three-point shooting percentage (36.4 percent), he delivered special potential in becoming a future All-star and centerpiece of the franchise.

But given his size and still growing effort to guard the opposition at the flipped side, it is noticeable that he has to address the holes of his defensive arsenal.

Nevertheless, with that amount of talent he has, combined by the fact that he is around some influential veterans to play in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala, sky is the only limit for him to expand his skill set.

Now waiting to be handed a rookie scale extension, Poole can only be determined to prove his worth and provide a solid progress in his career.

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