VIDEO - Golden State Warriors star Jordan Poole hails Nigerian basketballer as his "close friend"

Nigerian-American women's basketball superstar Arike Ogunbowale is most known as a guard for the Dallas Wings in the Women's National Basketball Association.

And along with her immense basketball ability, it is her humanitarian work that appears to have caught the eye of mainstream media in the women's game.

The 25-year-old has received praise from fellow professionals, most notably Jordan Poole, who appreciated Ogunbowale's impact on the women's game.

Poole was speaking at a press conference in preparation for the Golden State Warriors NBA finals game 4 against the Boston Celtics but took time out to shout out Arike.

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"I have a really close friend, Arike Ogunbowale who is in the WNBA and the impact that she has not only for girls or women who want to play the game, she makes an impact everywhere so you know I just follow her lead," Poole said.

22-year-old Poole would go on to talk about his love for women in sports and how that ties into Arike Ogunbowale and the work she's doing.

"Women in sports and obviously girls in sports is something that's huge to me and has been a big part of my entire life," Poole said, rounding up his thoughts on Arike Ogunbowale. 

Jordan Poole is having the best season of his professional career in which he has averaged 18.5 points, just over three rebounds and four assists per game.

He is now competing for the NBA Championship with three Golden State Warriors who are currently tied at 2-2 in the finals with the Boston Celtics.

Arike Ogunbowale on the other hand is averaging 19.7 points per game for the Dallas Wings after 12 WNBA regular-season games so far.