Sophomore guard Jordan Poole earned an interesting reputation last season as a freshman.
He showed a tendency to make big plays at times off the bench, but also played a bit out of control on occasion, resulting in some careless turnovers from the energetic guard.
At Michigan’s annual Media Day event on Monday, Poole explained how much more of a facilitator he’s become, as well as the valuable lessons he learned throughout last year and during the offseason.
“[I’ve learned to facilitate] by having the ball in my hands all summer,” he explained. “Making the right reads and being in ball screens slows the game down for you.
“Muhammad[-Ali Abdur-Rahkman] taught me I don’t have to force anything, and how I can be patient with the 30-second shot clock. It hasn’t necessarily been difficult replacing him, because I’m coming into the two-guard spot and it’ll be a different type of game for me.
“Making the right play has become a huge part of my game. I’m still a scorer, but I have guys around me I can trust. I’m trying to be more consistent and don’t need to be the roller coaster I was last year.
“There was definitely a lot to learn for me last season, and I’m seeing the young guys go through it now. Everything has slowed down for me, and I’m just seeing things in a different perspective.”
One of those youngsters who has impressed so far has been freshman forward Ignas Brazdeikis.
Rated as a five-star out of high school, Brazdeikis is expected to make a heavy impact this winter, and could even find himself in a starting role.
“He has a lot of swag — but not as much as I do,” Poole laughed. “Every team needs a freshman to come in and make an impact on the court and socially, and he’s done a good job of that so far.
“He was very aggressive early on, and is kind of stepping into the role I was in last year of being a spark.”
Poole’s confidence and play making ability is one of the things that allowed him to thrive off the bench last year, and Brazdeikis admitted the sophomore's swagger has even benefitted him.
“I love Jordan and the confidence he shows,” the forward exclaimed. “Being around people like him just pushes you to be better.”
Brazdeikis and the four other freshmen obviously weren’t around for last season’s trip to the National Title, but Poole gave his take on how coming up just short will fuel this year’s squad.
“The guys have responded well [since then],” he noted. “We’re showing the younger guys the ropes, just like the older guys showed us last year.
“There isn’t an expectation to get back to the National Championship — it’s more about improving, just as we did last season. We didn’t even think about that game until we got there.
“It pops into my head every now and then, but that’s it — we’re focused on right now. I still recall walking off the court and hearing all the Villanova fans go crazy — it’s still in my mind, but is just fuel to the fire.”
