NBA Twitter reacts to Jordan Poole’s Most Improved Player of the Year finalist snub
The rise of Jordan Poole during his third season has played a vital role in pushing the Golden State Warriors to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
On Saturday, Poole put an exclamation point on his breakout campaign with a 30-point performance in his playoff debut to lead the Warriors to a game one win over the Nuggets, 123-107.
In his third season since being drafted with the No. 28 overall pick in the NBA draft, Poole jumped his average from 12 points in 19.4 minutes per game to 18.5 points in 30 minutes per contest. Poole exploded from a stint in the G League during his second season to a pillar of Golden State’s playoff rotation in 2022.
Along with the numbers, Poole’s impact has made him a clear candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year award. However, when the list of finalists for the award was announced on Sunday, the Warriors’ 22-year-old guard didn’t make the cut.
Instead of Poole, the three finalists were led by a group of All-Stars, including Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Cavs guard Darius Garland and Spurs guard Dejounte Murray.
Following Poole’s snub from the MIP award, the NBA community on Twitter weighed in with different reactions. Here’s a look at what fans and analysts were saying on Sunday evening.
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In light of Jordan Poole not being named a finalist for the Most Improved Player award, he is what Draymond Green said regarding Poole's candidacy and the award in general today after practice: pic.twitter.com/AnHX3oAd5e
— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) April 17, 2022
Ja Morant earning MIP consideration over Jordan Poole is embarrassing.
The NBA needs to start explicitly defining what these awards should be.
Ja went from being a star on a playoff team to…a star on a playoff team. JP grew from G-League to rising star. https://t.co/tP7eZRNrtO
— Carlos Murillo (@LosMurillo126) April 17, 2022
Jordan Poole not being a finalist for Most Improved Player is actually a complete joke.
— Sean Jordan (@BaySean) April 17, 2022
Jordan Poole went from the G-League last season to a rising star this season. He’s the real definition of most improved, makes zero sense that Ja Morant got chosen over him.
— Arden Independence Cravalho (@a_cravalho) April 17, 2022
Sure, Jordan Poole can use his MIP snub as a little extra motivation… but the dude is already averaging like 26 ppg the last 1.5 months 😂
He just needs to keep doing exactly what he is doing and that is PLENTY— Grant Liffmann (@GrantLiffmann) April 17, 2022
Jordan Poole is not a finalist for this year's Most Improved Player award. The finalists are Darius Garland,
Ja Morant and Dejounte Murray.— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) April 17, 2022
The Most Improved Player award voters chose players who went from good to great. To me, the award is more about players going from inconsistent to impact players (like Jordan Poole and Tyrese Maxey). The stat increases are comparable, but the role change is more important to me. pic.twitter.com/GLlNbefNxE
— Marc Delucchi (@maddelucchi) April 17, 2022
Wow. Can’t believe Jordan Poole was not included at least as a finalist, if not the winner. https://t.co/2U35qLhVcp
— Dr. Nirav Pandya, M.D. (@DrNiravPandya) April 17, 2022
How is Jordan Poole not in the most improved? https://t.co/y1fdFSr9HR
— Zito (@_Zeets) April 17, 2022
Also: The MIP category isn't for MVP candidates. Ja Morant was an MVP candidate.
No slight to Ja … but Jordan Poole is a much better fit for that race. https://t.co/JL8vq1GhWb
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 17, 2022
Jordan Poole isn’t even a FINALIST for Most Improved Player.
This is one of the biggest robberies in NBA HISTORY. pic.twitter.com/axgshMObFs
— Guru (@DrGuru_) April 17, 2022
Jordan Poole is not among the 3 finalists for the MIP award. LOL.
— Antonin (@antonin_org) April 17, 2022
This video proves that Jordan Poole is the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
Look where this man started. pic.twitter.com/vyE6fPveGU
— Guru (@DrGuru_) April 15, 2022
Wait a minute.
Jordan Poole isn’t even a finalist for Most Improved Player?????? https://t.co/9QaNzg5dzj
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 17, 2022
jordan poole went from a player who was assigned to the gleague on his way out the nba to a player who went on a 17 game 20+ pts streak leading the steph-less warriors to clinch the third seed at the end of the season
and somehow he’s not even considered a top 3 MIP candidate?? pic.twitter.com/BBLfskOdoN
— 𝙙𝙤𝙢 🪐 (@hoodiedoms) April 12, 2022
Jordan Poole’s transformation from playing in the G-League for portions of last year to playing at a star level is exactly what the MIP award should represent as opposed to the natural progression (i.e. Ja Morant) an established star player should be making over time. #DubNation
— Dr. Nirav Pandya, M.D. (@DrNiravPandya) April 13, 2022
Jordan Poole should be the consensus Most Improved Player. Went from a guy who was in the G-League last season to a guy who’s the 2nd best offensive player on a championship contender and a guy who elevated his game in the absence of Steph Curry and kept GSW’s offense afloat. pic.twitter.com/FNh6KIVx5D
— Pranav Sriraman (@PranavSriraman) April 18, 2022
NBA announces its finalists for in-season award. Jordan Poole didn't make the cut for Most Improved Player award pic.twitter.com/HlPxlBoWew
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2022
If Ja Morant wins Most Improved Player over Jordan Poole, we need change who has votes for the awards.
One dude was in the G-League last season while the other was already a borderline All-Star.
— Guru (@DrGuru_) April 13, 2022
All I have to say about the MIP discourse: you can bet the vets are in Poole’s ear about not even being considered for it.
— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) April 18, 2022
Jordan Poole is not among the 3 finalists for the MIP award. LOL.
— Antonin (@antonin_org) April 17, 2022
Jordan Poole not being a finalist for MIP is absolute insanity
— Tristi Rodriguez (@tristi_r14) April 17, 2022
JPs improvement from last szn
12.4 PPG -> 18.5 PPG
1.9 APG -> 4.0 APG
1.8 RPG -> 3.4 RPG
43.2/35.1/88.2 splits -> 44.8/36.4/92.5 splits
53.5 eFG% -> 54.8 eFG%
58.1 TS% -> 59.8 TS%Was in the G-League last szn, and is now one of the best players on a championship. Robbed of MIP. pic.twitter.com/VE9FOi45ZY
— PooleMuse (@Poole_Muse) April 17, 2022
