Poole Interview: They gave me a study guide, and I happened to meet the author who wrote the book

Note: This article is a long article written by TAM Bay Area reporting team reporter Sam Amick on April 30, local time, translated by the strongest lineup of warrior nations, and we are committed to providing quality content!

Translators: The little fresh meat in the bun, Liu, Stephen and Cuddy

Ninety seconds.

When Jordan Poole walked into the chase center's media conference room to fulfill his media obligations, the 22-year-old Warriors guard jokingly reminded the team's publicist that he expected to be interviewed no longer than a Tyson counterattack. Naturally, it made me want to talk to him more. Especially given Poole's rise to prominence in the NBA's playoffs, and the most unexpectedly important part of the Warriors' future plans.

Is this reluctance to share more of his feelings with warrior nations because he's difficult, shy and cautious, or perhaps indifferent to all the attention he's been paying lately?

You might be thinking that a guy who isn't a lotto (28th in the 2019 draft) — who was still looking for a way out of the G League this time last year — has little chance. Even though he dominated the Denver Nuggets at the start of the playoffs, it almost makes you forget he's competing with a group of future Hall of Famers.

The best way to find out who Poole is is to have him talk for more than 90 seconds. Nearly 20 minutes later, Poole was delightful in our Wednesday interview, which lasted twice as long as the original. It's clear that he's the kind of player who will boost the Warriors' elite roster in the coming years.

Covering the Golden State Warriors again in the playoffs feels familiar and unfamiliar. You can see their great players over the years, such as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Drummond Green and Andre Iguodala, who still have the ability to lead the team back to the championship fight even after Kevin Durant decided to leave.

But the first time you sit down with their rising star Poole, a 15-year-old who has won the first of three titles when he's played in his hometown of Milwaukee, you start wondering why the basketball gods are always so good to this group.

The Warriors will play against the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference semifinals on Monday, Beijing time, and Poole's playoff challenge will become even tougher. But if there's any sign of it over the past few months, Poole rose in the second half of the regular season with Curry's absence, and with his excellent play helped the Warriors eliminate the Nuggets early, he would be ready.

So, I'm honored that you agreed to do that. Every time I see your counter, I hear you say "90 seconds"

Yeah, I'm waiting for someone to keep their promise.

But they wouldn't agree to 90 seconds, would they?

I told them there were 90 seconds left. I'm not going to spend too long in front of reporters over the past few months. The action was fast — coming in, coming out. But now, people want to ask...

His brilliant performances have been in the last 20 regular season games, and in the absence of Curry due to a sprained left foot ligament, Poole scored the Warriors' highest score (25.4 points per game) and shot 42.6 percent (9.9) from three-point range. Although his performance slowed somewhat in his fourth and fifth games against the Nuggets in the first round, he averaged 28.7 points per game (66.7 percent overall and 59.1 percent three-point shooting), 4.7 rebounds and three assists in his first three games.

Here are the interview questions:

So in terms of personality, have you always been a person who doesn't like to talk about yourself?

Yes. If you look at my college interviews or something like that, I've never been interested in the media.

How come?

I do not know...... But I used to want to work in journalism.

Do you really think so?

Yes, so I kind of understand the concept. I think, you know, they're also looking for their big breakout point. Everyone is looking for their big break. They will do their best to get it. So, you know, if you don't give them a chance? But I mean, I'm neutral.

Have you ever dabbled in any type of journalism?

I took a lot of English classes, but I only stayed in school for two years.

Well, thank you for doing so. Obviously, you're getting more and more attention. From my point of view, it's interesting that not only did you overcome that, but even though there were great stars like Curry, Klay and Draymond on the team, you did it stand out. It feels like this environment is ripe for young, talented players and can easily get themselves lost.

Right.

So to me, it's like, "Damn, how did this guy do it?" "And, like Curry got injured (this season and two seasons ago (19-20), when he only played five games), we'll have more chances. But finding your own rhythm, going through the tempering of the development league, and surviving like this time, I think it's quite remarkable. Have you been as amazed as I am?

Yes, I mean there are some things that have to be put in place. But I try to simplify a lot of logic, I mean, essentially, I'm a bit of a choice. I mean, you do, but if you want to be the best player you can, if you want to make an impact, if you want to be able to say you can play with some of the greatest players of all time, you have to put yourself in that situation. I just felt like I had my back against the wall and I had no choice but to come in and work every day, right? If I don't respond to myself, I can't say I want to be a great player or I want to make an impact. It just so happens that these guys are the greatest basketball players of all time, so you have to work harder to earn their trust. That's what it looks like.

But it can be a two-way street, right? I talked to [Warriors assistant coach Chris] De Marco (who was Poole's leader in developing the league). What he means is that you have to watch Stephen play, you have to watch Drummond work, learn from his example, the standards are so high that you have to get to it. But on the other hand, many players may start to feel sorry for themselves because things around them have changed. It's like ,"Oh my God, there's no place for me here anymore".

I mean, to actively embrace it, I'm learning, I'm watching how this group of players at the highest level plays right, I look at this every day, I see what Clay is doing. I saw what Stephen was doing.

For example, how they exercise, when they exercise, how long they exercise, who they work out with, what they do when they work out, right? It works, so it shouldn't even be that complicated.

Why would you want to try to do something else? Obviously, you want your game to be unique, right? You want to have your own style, but the formula is there. If you really want to, follow the study guide. You don't have to say, "Oh, I did it," or "I did it my own way." You can test the theory if you want, but it's right in front of me, so I'll just follow it.

You have player development coaches and coaching staff who are very experienced and there are a lot of veterans who still tell you to move on, boost your confidence, tell you if you're doing anything wrong. Obviously, there's something intangible in there. But overall, they gave me study guides, and I happened to meet the author who wrote the book, so I could ask any question I wanted.

It's a bit of a hard question to ask, but I think it's still worth asking: What would come to mind if I asked you, when you were in a sustained slump, when you thought this kind of thing might happen?

After 13 seconds of silence, he answered...

I've always believed that this will happen, if that makes sense. If anything, it's that when it gets difficult, it's working. That's my opinion. If you shoot badly for a week or two in a row, usually, those who don't shoot well will continue to have good results or something like that. I mean, my rookie season was tough.

To say the least. Curry played just five games because of injury, Thompson tore his ACL apart in the 2019 Finals, poole shot just 33.3 percent from the field, 27.9 percent from three-point range in 57 games, averaging 8.8 points, 2.4 assists, 2.1 rebounds, and 22.4 minutes on the field.

But I mean, as I expected. It's my first time in a new environment and I don't know how the NBA works, what the players on the court are like. I don't know any of this. So I thought it was going to be tough, and it was.

But when I know what I need to do, I can focus on it. My high school was probably harder than (the NBA), and in my final year of high school, I went to a prep school (from Rufuskin High School in Milwaukee to LaRumiere High School in La Porty, Indiana), which was probably harder than that. My two years in Michigan were tough, so...

I played three games with the Santa Cruz Warriors during my rookie season. Then, I played 11 games on the campus in Orlando. The park was where everyone was in the same place and there wasn't any away rush. It felt like an AAU tournament, there were three races, I went to Salt Lake City once, and it was just a regular flight. Get on the plane, bring your own bag, and go through security.

Don't have a motel?

Yeah, I mean, it might not be the Four Seasons, but I already have a place to sleep, and I'm getting up and going to play basketball the next day. And, in any case, I didn't live that life, right. You have to remember where you came from. You grew up carrying your own bags. You carried your own bag in high school. Take the bus to the race, or hitchhike. This is never a big deal. Just remember where you're coming from, essentially.

In Curry's absence, Jordan Poole led the Warriors to multiple games at the end of the regular season.

So, let's talk about where you came from, what is your family story? Who are your influencers and inspirers? I think of Kobe Bryant's documentary (from 2015) – The Muse. To you, who is that your muse?

Kobe Bryant was my favorite player growing up, as were Wade and Iverson. I was also quite influenced by my parents.

No one is extraordinary. My dad, Anthony, played basketball in high school and rugby in college. He's more of a rugby player. My mom Monet was a high school athlete.

You've been playing in the league for a while, and suddenly playing these games in the playoffs is not the same. How do you feel these days?

I maintain a small circle, and I'm not the kind of social person. I only have Instagram, and I rarely use it. I don't spend a lot of time on it. I would calm down at home and do my own thing. I put all my energy into basketball, going home, and getting my energy back so that I can perform well when I get back on the court.

Well, let's hurry up and get back on the pitch, I'm already pushing our time forward.

Yes, yes, yes. Ninety seconds. [Laughs]

As for the warriors' current situation, from your point of view, where do you think the warriors will go? You should be well aware that you are already a very important part of the team. My friend Tim came up with the nickname "Death and Maxes."

Poole replied, "It's tough. It's really tough. ”

I don't know if you've ever heard of it, coach Cole told him, "Dude, Tim, you have to be Jordan's agent. "Because you're going to be an amazing person.

Poole smiled and said, "I haven't heard of that. I don't have any social media. I didn't have anything. I just don't want to hear that. ”

Poole, whose rookie contract has one season left and is worth $3.9 million, is eligible to renew his contract this summer. If a new contract is not reached, by the summer of 2023, the Warriors have the ability to match all offers, thereby limiting all the offers he receives in the free agent market.

But where will it all go?

For this year or for the future?

Well, I feel like this week is a microcosm of the future. The starting lineup needs to be decided, and the choice is difficult. So, what do you think?

So what's your outlook for that?

In the G5 game, Kerr chose Curry, Poole, Thompson, Wiggins and Green as the starting lineup.

I would say that it's really great to see so many players of different ages being able to come together, isn't it? There are a lot of young and energetic players in the team, they are willing to learn, willing to learn new things. There are also a lot of experienced players in the team, a lot of experience, a lot of experience, they know how to coach. So, what we're in now is that we feel like everyone can help us, whether it's now, or next week, or next year.

We feel like we have all the right and reasonable parts, and we're all part of that part. I think we know that this year we're in a special situation, especially with a lot of veterans who have been through it, they know what a championship is made of, and they're really confident that we can do something special this year. I think in terms of what we're pursuing, I mean stay positive, like this.

How do you see yourself as part of the starting line-up?

I think it's cool to be involved in the starting lineup. It's cool to be part of the starting line-up. But what I really care about is knowing that I can join the starters and that my 25, 30, 35 minute playing time will affect the outcome of the game. The opportunity is rare. A few years ago, I didn't even play. Last year, I wasn't playing on the field. Knowing that I can play, feeling like I can do my part, but not being able to do anything, it's a terrible feeling. So, now that I'm back on the field, it's cool to be able to start. If I'm not a member of the starting line,I just know I can influence the game as much as I can.

There's a video circulating the other day where you sit in Coach Kerr's seat in game three (against the Nuggets) and whipp everyone up. Someone told me a few years ago that you obviously wouldn't have done that, how did this evolution come about?

Growing up, I was always a leader no matter which team I was on. It's more important to give everyone the confidence to tell them, "Hey, just be yourself." You don't have to think too much about it, the game is still going on. When I came here, I thought it was cool to see Curry's influence and his abilities. But he didn't speak up like crazy. Then there was Drummond, whose voice was the loudest. So, I can pick a little bit and see which direction I'm suitable for.

Because of the injury, Clay did not participate in training. But naturally, I'm always ready to give positive encouragement. I did a lot of things like that in the game, like talking to Clay at the free throw line, talking to Curry, walking back after a timeout. But at the time, it was the last few minutes, I think it was the last two minutes. No one said anything. I was thinking, "This is the moment for all of us, this is the moment when we win the game." ”

For me, it's not about age; more importantly, I've had relationships with Curry, Clay, Wiggins, drummond, and I can tell them, "It's your time to stand up." "That's it, it's more about confidence, it's not about basketball, it's not about the game, it's not about switching your identity or not.

It's like, "Stephen, come on. Clay, as soon as someone looks at you, knock him down. Wiggins, selling point. Chase your dreams and go to the end of the game. It's more of a message, "Now is the time, anytime, to come forward." ”

The people sitting on the bench, like everyone else, they were just on another battlefield. Probably you don't like that way. I think that's a good way; At that time we could have gone a step further and won the game. I think it's time to give them confidence. And, this way worked, you know? We won the game.

Are you shocked that someone is comparing Curry now? I know players don't like to compare, you are you. But in this league, this city, still playing with him, people will mention Stephen when they talk about you.

That's cool (laughs). It's so cool... That's cool (laughs). Of course, especially since I'm so young. I mean, I grew up watching Curry play.

Well, that's a lot longer than 90 seconds. Thank you, man. It's a pleasure to meet you, good luck, and keep up the good work.