School: Michigan
Year: Sophomore
Height/Weight: 6’5, 195 lbs
Strengths:
Jordan Poole is an incredibly skilled offensive guard who might just have the biggest bag out of anyone in the nation. He can take defenders off the dribble with a wide array of moves with his tight handle and quickness.
Once Poole is able to get the defender on his hip, it’s over for him. Poole is one of the best at creating his own basket in the league and even though his athleticism isn’t eye popping, he can still finish at the rim impressively with either hand.
Jordan always loves to use that hesi and jab step to beat his defender and it’s clearly next level. He’s got a quick twitch which makes it nearly impossible for the opposition to remain in front of him. You can couple that quick twitch with his explosive first step. At 6’5, he plays like he’s 6’0 given how quick he gets into his action.
Needless to say, his handle is extremely tight and doesn’t commit too many unforced turnovers. That handle leads him to being one of the best players in the country at creating his own shot.
Speaking of his shot, that is another one of Poole’s greatest qualities. Whether it is off the dribble or spotting up, Jordan isn’t someone you can leave alone on the perimeter. He’s on pace to finish with a 3P% over 40% this year which would be a solid step up from shooting 37% last year. Jordan Poole was used sparingly for Michigan last year, but he is now one of the focal points of the offense. And rightfully so given his offensive talent.
Poole is an improved defender and a solid on-ball defender. He’s got quick feet and can do a good job of keeping the opposition in front of him despite his smaller frame.
Weaknesses:
Jordan Poole isn’t a premier playmaker although he hasn’t really needed to be. Zavier Simpson is the creator on offense and that allows Poole to be a slasher and scorer. With that being said, Poole hasn’t shown the ability to be an excellent passer. His position at the next level seems to be limited to a two guard.
Jordan also struggles off-ball on defense. More often that not, you can find him ball watching on defense. This is far too common especially during the times when his man is hovering around the ball handler. He’s a willing help defender, but it doesn’t always help his team when he leaves his man one pass away.
Another weakness for Poole is his frame. We have it down that Poole is 195 lbs which is fine for a two-guard, but not nearly as good as you’d like for someone who is listed at 6’5. As mentioned, he has quick enough feet to keep his opponent in front of him, but the problem is that he’s not strong enough to keep himself from getting backed down or out-muscled which will be a clear problem at the next level.
Jordan Poole hasn’t impressed us necessarily with his athleticism. When he gets to the rim and finishes, he’ll use his body to shield the defender or his long arms to finish around looming shot blockers. We aren’t saying that Poole isn’t athletic, but it’s something that he doesn’t often use. It’s worth monitoring just how athletic he is and if that lack of athleticism would attribute to him having increased struggles to finish at the rim in the NBA.
Future Outlook:
Jordan Poole is such a talented and skilled baller. He has the potential to be a Bradley Beal type of player. Beal is a great shooter, can create off the dribble, finish well at the rim even with his lack of eye popping athleticism, and does his job on the defensive end. That’s exactly what Poole can be and they are just about the same stature.
As of right now, we have Poole falling in that late 1st round range, but there are definitely some of our writers who think that he’s too good to fall outside the top 20. Watch out for Jordan Poole to be one of those players to get drafted a lot later than he should have. We can easily envision him having a terrific NBA career as a prolific scorer.
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