admin Poole is just 24 years old, only has three posts on his Instagram grid, already secured a championship with the Warriors, and is in the first season of a four-year, $128 million dollar contract that pays him a higher salary each year. The man has already won. He’s basically said as much, too. In an interview with The Ringer from October, Poole said, “My family is taken care of, my basketball legacy is taken care of with the ring. This is probably the first time in my life I’ll play basketball with no pressure. So that’s kind of how you look at it. But it’s a really good opportunity. It’s a cool opportunity, dope opportunity.”
Dope opportunity, indeed. It’s no secret that Poole’s chill-ass attitude conflicted with several Warriors, particularly Draymond Green, the player who arguably possesses the least amount of chill in the entire NBA. This bubbled over in training camp before last season, when Green famously socked Poole in the face, later explaining that his rage was caused by “dialogue that happened over the course of time” and “stuff you don’t say amongst men”. This culture clash was largely perceived as the reason why the Warriors—the organization months removed from giving him that nine-figure contract extension, mind you—traded him for the no-nonsense Chris Paul over the summer.
Andre Iguodala, one of Poole’s former Warrior teammates, said Poole’s attitude in Golden State featured some, “Why can’t I go out there and be free like them?” Now, as the ostensible best player on a rebuilding Wizards team, Poole has definitely been free. Like, so free. He’s the personification of the “Free Bird” guitar solo. The most recent viral clip from the ongoing Poole party showed him cook the Pistons’ Cade Cunningham with a pretty diabolical move, then just…stop playing? The bizarre hesitation allowed another defender to come over and block Poole’s shot, which most other players would have released a good two seconds sooner. It is an early contender for funniest moment of the NBA calendar thus far.
