As they are now newfound California enemies, Jordan Poole and Juan Toscano-Anderson found themselves wrestling for the loose ball during the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers-Golden State Warriors 22-23 season opener.
Though their competitive spirits were displayed for a moment, there was still no love lost between the two, as they instantly connected in a wholesome way.
“It was good to see Juan today,” Poole said when asked about Toscano-Anderson (h/t C.J. Peterson of Sports Illustrated). “We’ve been so competitive since day one.
“That’s my brother. So just to be able to go back to our practice days, the days that we had at open gym. He’s a scrappy player.”
The two started their NBA career in 2019 as young prospects of the Golden State Warriors. Fast forward to three years, they managed to share a special Tuesday night of receiving their rings as part of the franchise’s previous title.
Poole further detailed the hustle and determination that he knows living on the part of Toscano-Anderson, as he vowed to do his best to win the jump ball battle next time.
“He goes 100 percent all the time and I know that,” Poole said. “Just diving on a loose ball, I knew he wouldn’t let the ball go. He had a better grip on the ball than I did.
“it was just really cool to kind of be in that moment and it was a little bit nostalgic. I’m going to try to win the jump ball next time.”
Eventually, Poole managed to secure a much bigger win over his former teammate, as the Dubs prevailed via a 123-109 scorecard over the Lakeshow.
As such, Poole can only hope that in their next matchup on Feb. 11, he will finally snatch the ball over Toscano-Anderson.
