Inside The Wizards

Jordan Poole Dazzles for Wizards vs. Thunder

Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole had one of his better games against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 23, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) moves past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Dec 23, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) moves past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole is the leading scorer for his team, but he also sets the table on offense, which is a role he is growing into.

Last season, Poole's first in Washington, he played alongside Tyus Jones, who had the role of being the team's primary point guard. While Poole had chances to run point, he didn't have as much opportunity as he has had this season, and he's making the most of it.

Poole had 31 points and seven assists in the team's 123-105 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he impressed head coach Brian Keefe in a losing effort.

“This is what Jordan does,” Keefe said postgame. “He’s our primary guy scoring. He draws so much attention, it wasn't just his scoring. It was also his drawing they had to put two on him. That allowed us to get open threes for other guys. I thought he played a terrific game tonight not just for himself, but he got others going and some of those weren't even assist for him. He was just making the right play and there wereswings to the backside. He can generate a lot of good looks for us.”

The more Poole grows into his role, the better off he and the Wizards will be in the long run. He's expected to be here for the next two seasons after this one, so he can establish himself as a key player for the team as he enters the prime of his career.

Poole now has four straight games of 20 or more points, so if he can continue to play like this, the Wizards will be in a good spot with their lead guard.

Poole and the Wizards return to the court on Thursday to take on LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets at 7 p.m. ET inside Capital One Arena.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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