Is the Jordan Poole shoot-out with DC native proof he’s already recruiting stars?

Jordan Poole was acquired by the Washington Wizards shortly before the trade deadline in exchange for Chris Paul. Since then, many opposing fans, particularly from the Golden State Warriors, have been posting memes about how ‘depressed’ Poole has seemed since the trade, despite plenty of proof of the opposite.

The 24-year-old star has been seen laughing with a few of his new teammates, particularly Kyle Kuzma, and even potential teammate Tristan Vukcevic. He has also done a few interviews where he spoke about how excited he is to play in the Nation’s capital.

He seems to be fully embracing the Wizards organization and the opportunity to be the face of a franchise. With his new freedom to be the leading player and the increased attention to him on offense, it will be incredibly interesting to see how he adapts to his new role. However, that’s not what this article is about.

Jordan Poole was recently seen in a shoot-out with DC native Kevin Durant

Since he entered free agency in 2016, there has been speculation that Kevin Durant would someday return home to help bring the Washington Wizards a championship. While he has consistently denied rumors, new video brings back hope to the former MVP joining his hometown team someday.

In an Instagram story posted by @ralenlamar, Jordan Poole and Kevin Durant were recorded in a shoot-out. Both elite shooters, it would have been interesting to see who won as they are both knockdown shooters.

It’s likely that this workout took place in the DMV as Poole is probably now living there and Durant, as stated before, is from DC. While it may seem like a common workout between two NBA players, it could be proof of the new Wizards star recruiting high-end talent to the team.

The two players have never played together, yet still have plenty in common. Both won championships in Golden State, both only left the Warriors due to the actions of Draymond Green, both are looking to find their footing in the post-Warriors era of their respective careers, and now both have ties to the Washington Wizards.

Most notably, Kevin Durant does not enter free agency until 2026, a timeframe that allow the Wizards to build a solid team around Jordan Poole and Bilal Coulibaly. If they do well enough in rebuilding, they could be serious threats to sign the former MVP if the seeds have already been planted by the franchise player.

If Jordan Poole is already trying to recruit players like Kevin Durant, then it’s clear that he is taking his role with the franchise seriously. The 24-year-old may just be the exact player the Washington Wizards needed.