Warriors rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis entered the league with the 57th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft with a shoulder injury.
However, it didn’t take long for new teammates Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to realize that the 23-year-old was capable of more than just being selected. That’s what Jackson-Davis showed again in Golden State’s 129-118 win over Washington.The Wizards play at Chase Center on Friday night.
“What else are you thinking? [Jackson-Davis’] “The strength might be in the league, and he’s showing it right now,” Curry told reporters after the game, recalling his thoughts from June, when the Warriors defeated Jackson Davis in the second round. Told. , spending four years in college gives you a certain level of maturity…
“There’s talk that when you bring in an experienced college player, he might give you something, but we don’t really know what that’s going to be. The strength of what he’s done for us, It’s just about how he’s impacting the game.” I was hoping that would be how it would be.”
“So I’m glad he proved that pretty early on.”
Curry said the Warriors were already familiar with the Indiana game when they drafted Jackson Davis. Golden State acquired the 57th pick as part of the Jordan Poole and Chris Paul trade, sending Patrick Baldwin Jr. and some cash to the Wizards in exchange for the pick, which they immediately use to draft Jackson-Davis. did.
And for now, Curry’s hopes for Jackson-Davis are becoming reality. The rookie forced his way into coach Steve Kerr’s rotation, providing size and athleticism that brings new dimensions to the Warriors on both ends of the court. Jackson-Davis has been an integral part of Golden State’s success, recording his second consecutive double-double on Friday with 10 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and one block, and was plus-10 in 25 minutes.
Even in training camp, Thompson knew the Warriors had a great player on their hands.
“I looked at his resume in college and it was incredibly impressive,” Thompson said of his first-hand impressions of Jackson-Davis after the draft. “I mean, he averaged like 20-10 and was the conference player of the year or at least an All-American. If you can get a player like that who’s ready to contribute, that’s great…
“I could see he had the potential to be a force in this league.”
After Friday’s game, Jackson-Davis said he was surprised when he fell to No. 57 in the draft, but was happy to have won multiple championships and made his name among future Hall of Famers. . .
“I’m happy to be here and happy to be playing with these guys,” Jackson-Davis told reporters.
And it’s clear that Curry, Thompson and the rest of Golden State’s veterans believe the franchise’s future is bright.
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