University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Jordan Isaacs
January 09, 2021 | Women's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Jordan Isaacs didn't immediately fall in love when basketball. When the Georgia sophomore first started playing in sixth grade, she hated it because of all of the running involved.
Eventually, the 6-foot Isaacs grew to love the game, and she said during a recent Quick Chat that she would be interested in coaching one day. Isaacs also talked about her days doing tap and ballet, photography, funny teammates and more.
Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: What was this fall semester like for you, taking classes online and not really getting too much of the campus life experience? Was it better in some ways and worse in others?
Isaacs: I'd say academically it was a huge help for me. Just not having to get up and get dressed and go to class was really helpful to me. I did better academically, but from a social standpoint, it's kind of tough not talking-to my teammates (in person) as often as I used to, or my friends, so it had its pros and cons.
Frierson: How are you a better basketball player now than you were a year ago?
Isaacs: I would just say I have a better feel for the offense that Coach Joni (Taylor) wants us to run. I think that I know pretty much everybody's position, so I can help them at any point in time during a game. I'm just more confident in my game and my abilities, which makes the offense run easier for me.
Frierson: Take me back to your start in basketball — how old were you when you first began playing and what got you into the sport?
Isaacs: This is going to sound so bad, but when I first started playing I actually hated it. I was in sixth grade and my mom made me play, and I was like, I don't want to do this ever again [laughs] — we run too much and this is too much running. But she saw that whenever a basketball was in my hands, my face just lit up, so she forced me to keep playing.
When I started playing AAU, I got the family vibe from playing AAU and playing for Kirk (Pointer), and that made me fall in love with the game.
Frierson: When did you know you were good? Was there a turning point or specific moment?
Isaacs: I would say my sophomore year (at St. Francis). I was really driven, really wanted to score and get stops and win games. My team was better and I helped my team get better, and my head coach at my high school was like, schools are calling about you, so you've got to keep performing.
Frierson: What is that moment like, when you find out that schools are taking a good look at you? It's obviously quite a big compliment.
Isaacs: It was just a shocker, like it had never occurred to me that there was more to basketball outside of high school and just playing for fun. It's a serious thing and so it was a big compliment, a big confidence booster. I think it just helped me focus in and hone my skills.
Frierson: What other sports did you play growing up?
Isaacs: I played every other sport before I started playing basketball. I was a ballerina, cheerleader, gymnast, volleyball player, soccer player, and I think that's about it.
Frierson: I have to ask about being a ballerina, what was that like?
Isaacs: I was pretty young, and I was a tap dancer and a ballerina. We used to have recitals once a month and my mom would come. This was when I lived in Chicago, and those were really fun.
Frierson: Have your tap and ballet days helped you on the basketball court?
Isaacs: I think they gave me pretty good footwork and I am pretty light on my feet. A lot of people told me when I was younger that I was fast for my height.
Frierson: How long did you live in Chicago and what were those days like?
Isaacs: I think we moved to Georgia when I was maybe 5 of 6. I just remember being around my extended family more, having a close relationship with my cousins and my aunt. When we moved, we only went once a year, and now that I'm in college it's very rare that I see my extended family. I miss it, but I do love being in Georgia.
Frierson: Do you have a creative side? Is there anything creative you do or wish you could do?
Isaacs: I like to draw and I really enjoy taking pictures. I did it in my junior and senior years of high school, I took a lot of pictures for class, and then I kind of stopped once I got to college. Over the Christmas break, my mom bought me another camera so I think I'm going to get back into that.
I also like singing and dancing, so I feel like I have a pretty good creative side.
Frierson: What kind of pictures are you taking?
Isaacs: When I was home, I took pictures of my sisters. I love to take portrait photos, pictures of my friends and stuff, but I tap into landscapes every now and then when I see something beautiful.
Frierson: In a perfect world, what are you doing 10 years from now?
Isaacs: How old am I? Nineteen? I'd say, in a perfect world, if I'm not playing basketball, I think I want to either be on TV or coaching somebody's basketball team. I'd like to be reporting on sports or just coaching at any level. I feel like I have just a broad variety of knowledge from being coached by Aisha Kennedy at St. Francis, Coach Joni and Coach Kirk. I feel like I have a lot to offer and I just want to help as many girls as I can.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Isaacs: Ice cream. It's very special, it's Häagen-Dazs and it's a trio blend of white and milk chocolate with frozen milk chocolate inside of it. It's very good [laughs].
Frierson: Who is the funniest player on the team?
Isaacs: That's a hard question because everyone is pretty goofy and I laugh at everything [laughs]. I would say it's tied between Que (Morrison) and Maya (Caldwell).
Frierson: Those are popular answers, so what is it about those two?
Isaacs: I feel like Maya was given Class Clown in high school, like, she's just very funny and she knows she's funny, and she's very goofy. Que is funny without knowing it. She just says and does [laughs] things, and if you listen to her you start cracking up [laughs].
It gives you something to look forward to every day. Whenever I am around the team, it's good to have a good laugh every once in a while.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
Jordan Isaacs didn't immediately fall in love when basketball. When the Georgia sophomore first started playing in sixth grade, she hated it because of all of the running involved.
Eventually, the 6-foot Isaacs grew to love the game, and she said during a recent Quick Chat that she would be interested in coaching one day. Isaacs also talked about her days doing tap and ballet, photography, funny teammates and more.
Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: What was this fall semester like for you, taking classes online and not really getting too much of the campus life experience? Was it better in some ways and worse in others?
Isaacs: I'd say academically it was a huge help for me. Just not having to get up and get dressed and go to class was really helpful to me. I did better academically, but from a social standpoint, it's kind of tough not talking-to my teammates (in person) as often as I used to, or my friends, so it had its pros and cons.
Frierson: How are you a better basketball player now than you were a year ago?
Isaacs: I would just say I have a better feel for the offense that Coach Joni (Taylor) wants us to run. I think that I know pretty much everybody's position, so I can help them at any point in time during a game. I'm just more confident in my game and my abilities, which makes the offense run easier for me.
Frierson: Take me back to your start in basketball — how old were you when you first began playing and what got you into the sport?
Isaacs: This is going to sound so bad, but when I first started playing I actually hated it. I was in sixth grade and my mom made me play, and I was like, I don't want to do this ever again [laughs] — we run too much and this is too much running. But she saw that whenever a basketball was in my hands, my face just lit up, so she forced me to keep playing.
When I started playing AAU, I got the family vibe from playing AAU and playing for Kirk (Pointer), and that made me fall in love with the game.
Frierson: When did you know you were good? Was there a turning point or specific moment?
Isaacs: I would say my sophomore year (at St. Francis). I was really driven, really wanted to score and get stops and win games. My team was better and I helped my team get better, and my head coach at my high school was like, schools are calling about you, so you've got to keep performing.
Frierson: What is that moment like, when you find out that schools are taking a good look at you? It's obviously quite a big compliment.
Isaacs: It was just a shocker, like it had never occurred to me that there was more to basketball outside of high school and just playing for fun. It's a serious thing and so it was a big compliment, a big confidence booster. I think it just helped me focus in and hone my skills.
Frierson: What other sports did you play growing up?
Isaacs: I played every other sport before I started playing basketball. I was a ballerina, cheerleader, gymnast, volleyball player, soccer player, and I think that's about it.
Frierson: I have to ask about being a ballerina, what was that like?
Isaacs: I was pretty young, and I was a tap dancer and a ballerina. We used to have recitals once a month and my mom would come. This was when I lived in Chicago, and those were really fun.
Frierson: Have your tap and ballet days helped you on the basketball court?
Isaacs: I think they gave me pretty good footwork and I am pretty light on my feet. A lot of people told me when I was younger that I was fast for my height.
Frierson: How long did you live in Chicago and what were those days like?
Isaacs: I think we moved to Georgia when I was maybe 5 of 6. I just remember being around my extended family more, having a close relationship with my cousins and my aunt. When we moved, we only went once a year, and now that I'm in college it's very rare that I see my extended family. I miss it, but I do love being in Georgia.
Frierson: Do you have a creative side? Is there anything creative you do or wish you could do?
Isaacs: I like to draw and I really enjoy taking pictures. I did it in my junior and senior years of high school, I took a lot of pictures for class, and then I kind of stopped once I got to college. Over the Christmas break, my mom bought me another camera so I think I'm going to get back into that.
I also like singing and dancing, so I feel like I have a pretty good creative side.
Frierson: What kind of pictures are you taking?
Isaacs: When I was home, I took pictures of my sisters. I love to take portrait photos, pictures of my friends and stuff, but I tap into landscapes every now and then when I see something beautiful.
Frierson: In a perfect world, what are you doing 10 years from now?
Isaacs: How old am I? Nineteen? I'd say, in a perfect world, if I'm not playing basketball, I think I want to either be on TV or coaching somebody's basketball team. I'd like to be reporting on sports or just coaching at any level. I feel like I have just a broad variety of knowledge from being coached by Aisha Kennedy at St. Francis, Coach Joni and Coach Kirk. I feel like I have a lot to offer and I just want to help as many girls as I can.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Isaacs: Ice cream. It's very special, it's Häagen-Dazs and it's a trio blend of white and milk chocolate with frozen milk chocolate inside of it. It's very good [laughs].
Frierson: Who is the funniest player on the team?
Isaacs: That's a hard question because everyone is pretty goofy and I laugh at everything [laughs]. I would say it's tied between Que (Morrison) and Maya (Caldwell).
Frierson: Those are popular answers, so what is it about those two?
Isaacs: I feel like Maya was given Class Clown in high school, like, she's just very funny and she knows she's funny, and she's very goofy. Que is funny without knowing it. She just says and does [laughs] things, and if you listen to her you start cracking up [laughs].
It gives you something to look forward to every day. Whenever I am around the team, it's good to have a good laugh every once in a while.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
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