When the New Orleans Pelicans acquired Jordan Poole from the Washington Wizards, there were mixed reactions among both fans and members of the media.
With the consensus around Poole being that he doesn’t take things too seriously and can’t contribute to winning, many people were worried about his fit in New Orleans. However, after Media Day, it’s clear he wants to change that narrative entirely.
Poole spoke about how this group is very dedicated to showing up early to get shots up and put in work, and how motivated they are to be great every day.
"We've got a lot of guys in the locker room that are motivated. I was coming into the gym at 7:30. Herb (Jones) was like ok I'll be at the gym at 7. So I said well, now I gotta come at 6:45. Herb said well, now I gotta come at 6:30."
In addition to these comments from Poole himself, Trey Murphy III also spoke about how JP’s willingness to put in work since arriving is motivating him to improve his game as well.
"I heard a ball bouncing when I got here this morning for physicals. JP was working out on the court already... I know he really takes it seriously... It makes me think I have to work harder"
The work Poole has put in since arriving in New Orleans isn’t just changing the narrative about his work ethic, but also showing he is going to be a leader for the Pelicans this season. Poole may not be a vocal leader in the locker room, but by showing up early and logging countless hours in the gym, he is setting a standard for this young group.
Poole clearly just wants to play winning basketball again
Spending two seasons playing for the Wizards would be tough on any player in the league, especially someone who recently won a championship like Poole did.
Side Note: This is no shade to Washington; they are just in the midst of a full-scale rebuild and haven't been a competitive team in a while.
So, for JP to now be joining a Pelicans group that has aspirations of making the playoffs and is expected to be competitive next season, he will get to play meaningful basketball again. This has likely motivated him to put in more work than before and change the narrative around him as he wants to help this group reach the playoffs.
Coming off a career year, Poole was already expected to have a big first season for the Pelicans. With Media Day shining a light on all the work he's putting in, we could be due for another jump from JP.