SAN FRANCISCO - Warriors rookies Jordan Poole and Eric Paschall are about a month away from their NBA debuts. With the offseason winding down, each is eager to get the season started.
"I'm extremely excited," Poole told NBC Sports Bay Area Friday just before Colgate "Oral Health Training Camp" in San Francisco. "More than anything, being able to be a rookie coming into an amazing organization. You know, everybody has brought me in and they've kind of taken me under their wings.
"So being able to just get to work has been extremely fun."
Recently, Poole -- who was drafted with the No. 28 pick in the 2019 NBA draft -- got an early introduction to Steph Curry's game first hand.
Last week, the three-time champion stopped by trainer Patrick Turner's Unlimited Potential in Burlingame for a late-night pick up run that featured Poole, Warriors forward Omarri Spellman, Oregon women's basketball star Sabrina Lonesu and Dallas Mavericks guard Seth Curry, marking the first time Poole shared the court with his star teammate.
"It was amazing, man," Poole said. "Just kind of finally being able to meet Steph, we talked a lot," Poole said. "We had been texting a little bit, but just being able to finally meet him and go up against him.
"A couple of months ago, I was watching him on TV. Now, he's my teammate. He's an amazing guy and he's somebody that's really fun and to look up to. So being able to just to learn from one of the greatest shooters in the game is ... I'm excited for it, man."
Paschall has had an eventful summer himself. For much of the summer, the rookie -- who was taken with the No. 41 overall pick by the Warriors in June -- has been training in New York with famed trainer Chris Brickley. During one of the afternoon pickup games, multi-platinum rapper J-Cole played alongside the rookie and his performance was noteworthy, according to Pascal.
"J. Cole was pretty good." Paschall said. "I mean, he knows how to play the game. He can shoot it, he can shoot it well. It was cool playing with him. I thank Chris Brickley for that, just for giving me the opportunity to play there. But I'm looking forward to the season and this whole before the season, preseason time is real fun."
Poole and Paschall enter their careers during a unique period in Golden State. Nearly three months after being eliminated in the NBA Finals, the roster has eight new faces and will be without Klay Thompson for much of the season, giving an opportunity for young players to see the court early, a moment Poole and Pascal hope to take advantage of.
"Just to be able to play, for me personally," Paschall said. "But that's all it really is. Just being able to play and contribute and being in this great environment in the Bay Area."
Poole wants to contribute as soon as he can, too, but is soaking up as much knowledge as possible.
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"I think anybody would be love to be on the court early as a rookie," Poole added. "And a lot of our individual work, when we're working out, you know, we hear a lot of things and try to incorporate a lot of the stuff that I could be doing.
"But just being able to learn as much as I can and try to make an impact and finding a way to hopefully get minutes is definitely something I'm looking forward to."
