The most exciting highlights from the Warriors 2019 rookie class

With the NBA season on hiatus, now is as good a time as any to review some key individual highlights of Golden State Warriors.

I went through the roster and highlighted some of the Dubs’ most memorable moments this season, starting with their special rookie class.

Jordan Poole channeled Steph Curry in slippery shot over Denver Nuggets

Anyone watching Warriors basketball this season has had to notice the precocious rookie Poole firing up jumpers and flying to the rim with reckless abandon...with mixed results. The 20-year old has shown flashes of sinisterly slick dribbling and deadeye shooting, but as with most rookies those moments were usually buried under a bevy frustrating mistakes. #learningonthejob

Recently, it appears the game is slowing down for Poole. After a rough start to his first NBA campaign the Michigan product is showcasing why he was Golden State’s 2019 first round pick.

Check out how he calmly isolated lumbering Nuggets big man Mason Plumlee with the game clock ticking down.

That moment encapsulated everything Poole had been tinkering with all season: the arrogant herky-jerk dribble into a smooth three-point bomb. When he shimmied on the way back to the bench it was as if he was summoning the spirit of the Warriors elder Splash Bro Stephen Curry. ATTABOY, ROOK!

Eric Paschall went big in Texas

Speaking of rooks, I witnessed Paschall’s highlight live in Dallas. It just so happened that I was in the building when Luka Doncic’s Mavericks were bodybagging the undermanned Dubs.

As the Mavs lead stretched towards 40 and the crowd hooted and ribbed me goodnaturedly, Paschall decided enough was enough.

It happened so fast that no one in the arena knew what to make of it. Did the rook just go NBA Jams over four Mavs?!? That play acts as a microcosm of Golden State’s season: the Warriors got blown out, but Paschall showed tremendous heart and physicality. He’s a keeper.

Juan Toscano-Anderson locked up Zion Williamson??

Toscano-Anderson is a homegrown rookie straight outta East Oakland fighting for minutes on this ragtag Dubs roster. His hustle and grit continues to earn him playing time, and his excellent defense possession against the 6-foot-6 284 pound Williamson caught my eye.

That’s grown man defense right there, folks. Anybody else getting some Matt Barnes vibes from the young hooper? I remember how Golden State deployed Barnes as a tenacious defender against much bigger matchups back during the “We Believe” era. If JTA can keep defending like this, the Dubs will be even closer to rebuilding their championship level defense.

Ky “Sky” Bowman went coast to coast on Milwaukee

The 6-foot-1 guard has provided Dub Nation plenty of entertainment with his shocking athleticism and non-stop motor. Hold on to your seats for the next highlight; we’re goin’ up!

The first 10 rows of the Chase Center should have leapt out of their seats and bumrushed the floor after that dunk like they were at Rucker Park.

Mychal Mulder is related to the Splash Bros

We can’t do a Warriors highlight piece without more long-range shooting, amirite? Enter Mychal Mulder, a G-League product out of Kentucky who has given us some Splash Bros-ish long range brilliance. Named after Klay Thompson’s father Mychal, Mulder is proving he’s a fearless shooter.

Golden State specializes in breaking games open with the transition bomb and Mulder gravitating to it so artfully bodes well for his future with the team.

Alen Smailagic is auditioning for Space Jam

I will never forget this crazy dunk attempt from the rookie Smailagic.

We can only presume that the Serbian youngster knows LeBron James is starring in the “Space Jam” remake and wanted to impress the big time Hollywood actor with a Jordan-esque move.

Thankfully, Smiley shook off his flub and came back with a successful slam.