Two years ago, Draymond Green and Jordan Poole were teammates. Their heated dynamic led to a forgettable moment in Green’s career. A horror video of him punching his young teammate went viral. Those tensions haven’t waned even two seasons after ‘Poole Party’ shifted to Washington. After knocking down a three, the cerebral scorer pointed at the Warriors’ vocal leader, who tried to close the shot out.

But Dray also has his weapons. On the very next possession down the hill, the former DPOY found his shooting teammate Stephen Curry, who replied with a triple of his own. Draymond Green returned the favor, pointing at Poole who turned to the locker room. However, despite their troubled past the veteran forward has kept his eyes on the 25-year-old. It could be part of his healing process after a turbulent season last year when he served a 17-game suspension.

“He’s playing a lot better,” Green said after the Warriors’ win over the Wizards. Previously, the 34-year-old also took accountability for his past actions, admitting to not acting appropriately and causing trouble to the team. In Poole’s first full season outside the Bay, where Poole won a title, the agile guard couldn’t find much success. His scoring output dropped to 17.4 points on only 41% shooting. Green felt his erratic production was because ” last year, he just wanted it so bad”. But he has spent all summer working to improve himself as the decision-maker and anchor of a team.

It’s been six games, and Jordan Poole is flaunting all of his refined skills. He’s averaging career-highs in both points and assists while significantly improving his efficiency. Rather than his shot-making ability, Green saw better shot selection and raved about his former teammate further. “I think he’s doing a really good job of settling in now and letting the game come to him. Not necessarily chasing it like he was doing last year… I think he’s starting to show now more of who he is and who he’s grown into in this league,” the 34-year-old told Danny Enerman.

The Warriors’ power forward is right as seen by the tremendous strides in his game Poole has taken.

Jordan Poole has recognized his game

Playing against his former team, where he played an integral role in bringing a title, Poole extended his streak. He scored 24 points, although not with great efficiency against the Warriors. It marked his fourth straight 20+ point game. Moreover, he displays a lot more readiness when playing for the Wizards as their ace. He is still flashy with his dribbling and loves to put on a show. Nevertheless, Poole has improved in avoiding unnecessary motions. His output comes majorly from the three-point line, where he has picked up a rhythm, shooting 45% for the season. He has also become a defensive-minded guard.

It isn’t to necessarily say that Poole is a pest on the ball. However, his 2.8 steals is one of the best marks in the league. He is also generating 3.3 deflections per game. Tonight, the 25-year-old logged in four blocked shots, a career-best mark to go along with 3 steals. An emphasis has also been placed on his role as a facilitator for the Wizards.

With 5 dimes thus far, a career-high, Poole is pulling nearly 27% of the total Wizards assists, slowly learning how to dictate the pace. His decisions are still likely to come with errors. But the pace at which he has polished his skills is astounding. Since on the Warriors, the franchise did have a high ceiling set for him. It seems Green was right to say “This year he’s doing much better. Like he had one turnover tonight. That speaks of the patience that he’s now playing with,”. Do you think Jordan Poole could be a MIP candidate this season? Let us know your views in the comments below.