MEXICO CITY —
Jordan Poole played several seasons with Juan Toscano and among the things he remembers from his talks with the Mexican player is the celebration of the Day of the Dead.
The guard and his Washington Wizards teammates will be able to experience it up close in a couple of weeks when they visit Mexico City for a regular season game against the Miami Heat.
Poole and Toscano shared a locker room for three seasons with the Golden State Warriors, the last in 2021-22.
“(Toscano) always talked about it, he supported globalizing the culture of Mexico, I don’t know, but I am open and excited to see what a Day of the Dead is like, I know that it is a very important holiday,” Poole said in a video conference .
The match between the Wizards and the Heat will take place at the Mexico City Arena precisely on November 2, when millions of Mexicans celebrate their loved ones who lost their lives.
It is a tradition that derives from pre-Hispanic customs that were modified after the Spanish conquest and the arrival of Catholicism in 1521.
“I learned something about it at school, but I want to learn more and I’ll have more information when I’m over there,” added Poole, who joined the Wizards last season after spending four years in Golden State.
The game will be the 33rd in history since the NBA began traveling south of the border in 1992. Since 2014, 12 of those have been regular season games.
“I’m excited to go play in Mexico, it’s amazing because I’ve never been there,” Poole said. “It’s something beneficial, I know they have a G-League team, it’s a sport that has been growing and there are a lot of people who want to go to the game.”
For Washington, the game will mark its fourth visit to the country, although the first for a regular season game.
Team coach Brian Keefe said the meet represents an opportunity to bring the team closer together, but also to learn more about the culture of a different country.
“I’ve never been to Mexico City, but I’m really excited to do it,” Keefe said. “I want to learn about Mexico and its culture, I know many people who have gone and I know that it is a good opportunity to learn about their traditions.”
Among them, that of the Day of the Dead.
