Andre Iguodala Clowns Jordan Poole's Bench Antics
With all the young guys on the team, it seems like Golden State Warriors veteran and 3x NBA champion Andre Iguodala has taken it upon himself to mentor some of the young guys. Iggy is well-regarded as a very cerebral player, and even though he’s not dunking on whole teams anymore like he was in Philadelphia, he’s still an important part of the Dubs championship core both on and off the court.
Most recently, Iguodala has taken it upon himself to mentor Jordan Poole, the oldest behind Andrew Wiggins of what could turn into the Warriors’ future dynasty. Andre recently said in media availability that Poole has been able to “simplify his game”, a point of growth that a lot of young players specifically struggle with. Poole’s massive volume increase has led to some increased scrutiny on his responsibilities, and he’s been handling them well.
Another thing Iggy’s spoken about regarding to JP3? Whatever he was doing here:
This video is incredible for a number of reasons. The context is that Poole and Iguodala were having a conversation on the bench when Poole did… that. What makes it even better is that Damion Lee was sitting right in between the two. After this clip, Andre looked straight at DLee, who could do nothing but shake his head. The interaction continued into the comments of an Instagram post, as Poole’s moment went viral across the internet.
It’s safe to assume this is pretty playful jabbing. It would be pretty impressive is this was something that Iguodala - or anybody, for that matter - could get mad about, given the obvious laughter after the clip plays out in full. Andre’s taken on a bit of a mentoring role to Poole, as mentioned prior, and seems like he’s acting as Poole’s vet, which most teams have established.
There’s nothing like a consummate professional to ensure a rookie learns how to act around the league. There really isn’t even anything wrong with this clip, but Iguodala’s reaction makes an already funny video absolutely priceless, speaking to the Warriors’ relaxed locker room culture where guys can joke around with each other like that.
Andre Iguodala hasn’t played much recently due to some knee swelling, but his presence can still be felt across the roster, and certainly has an impact on how the young guns think, see, and play the game. Behind the antics, Poole is truly learning a lot from Iguodala as a playmaker, as that’s the next leap he can take to ensure he remains a lynchpin of the next dynasty to come.
(Photo credit: Instagram)