University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Jordan Isaacs
January 12, 2022 | Women's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
A 6-foot junior from Alpharetta, Ga., Jordan Isaacs has started every game the past two seasons. Unlike fellow returning starters Jenna Staiti and Que Morrison, Georgia's top two scorers this season, Isaacs doesn't typically fill up the stat sheet. But that doesn't mean she isn't performing at a high level.
Through 16 games this season, Isaacs is averaging 2.3 points and 3.3 rebounds a game, but she does a lot of little things that help the team be successful — screens, boxing out, playing good defense — which is why she's always in the starting lineup.
During a recent Quick Chat, Isaacs talked about how she evaluates her performances, how she'd spend an afternoon with coach Joni Taylor, her funniest teammate, and much more. Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: We're doing this interview right around the holidays, so what signals that you're home for the holidays? Is there a sight or a smell when you get home that tells you it's that time of year?
Isaacs: I think when my mom makes cinnamon rolls. The house smells like cinnamon, flour and sugar — she makes homemade cinnamon rolls and it's maybe my favorite thing to eat around the holidays. That smells reminds me the most that it's time for Christmas.
Frierson: What is the best present you've ever received?
Isaacs: Definitely my first car. That was a really nice gift I got. I was just really excited; I was hoping I was going to get one and they kept telling me I wasn't — it was my senior year (of high school), so when I got it I was really excited.
Frierson: What's the best present you've ever given someone?
Isaacs: That's a tough one. It wasn't until I got to college that I could actually afford to give gifts. I will say the best gift I've given someone was probably a surprise party — just decorated the room out and got them a couple of things that they wanted. It was exciting.
Frierson: Who is the funniest person on the team?
Isaacs: I don't know, it's a lot tougher this year. Adding the new pieces that we have with the freshmen, it makes it a lot tougher. If I had to pick one, I'd have to give it to Kimmy (Kimora Jenkins), she's hilarious.
Frierson: Que Morrison is the most popular answer and I'm glad to hear you come up with another name. Que admits to being pretty goofy, so in what way would you say that she is goofy?
Isaacs: I just think Que loves to make people smile. That's the best thing about her and being her teammate, she just loves to see people smile and have a good time. She will do whatever it takes to see you laugh.
Frierson: As someone with three sisters, do you get the same kind of feeling with this team now that you've been here for a few years?
Isaacs: That's one of the reasons why I came to Georgia, it was a home away from home. I knew a couple of the players when I was being recruited so I already had close relationships with them before coming to Georgia. Being able to build off of that and create bonds with all of the new people that I've met, and just build that sisterhood, I know I can really count on everyone and they feel like a family member to me.
Frierson: On the court, you're a player that does a bunch of little things that may not show up on the stat sheet all of the time. How do you evaluate whether or not you've had a good game?
Isaacs: I think to measure that, if I'm tired after the game, just exhausted, that means I have it everything I had and sacrificed myself and my body on the defensive end. I'm going to do everything that I can because I know that defense sparks offense. It may not be me scoring the ball but winning is all that matters to me, and I'll do whatever it takes to win.
Looking back after a game, I do like to go watch the game to see the kind of mistakes that I make and what I can do better. Good game or bad game, I feel like a bad game is when you lose. If you go out there and give everything you have, it's always a great game if you win.
Frierson: If you could play with or against anyone in history, who would it be?
Isaacs: Oh, wow, that's a tough question. Kahleah Copper (of the Chicago Sky in the WNBA), I would love to play with her. She obviously does light up a stat sheet and she's a very high-energy player. She just wants you to play hard; she reminds me of Que, she plays so hard that she makes you want to play hard.
Frierson: If you could spend an afternoon with Joni Taylor doing anything, what would it be?
Isaacs: Shopping [laughs]. I'd go shopping with Joni. We'd definitely go shopping for shoes. Her shoe game has gotten a lot better this year and I'd like to get some new Jordans.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
A 6-foot junior from Alpharetta, Ga., Jordan Isaacs has started every game the past two seasons. Unlike fellow returning starters Jenna Staiti and Que Morrison, Georgia's top two scorers this season, Isaacs doesn't typically fill up the stat sheet. But that doesn't mean she isn't performing at a high level.
Through 16 games this season, Isaacs is averaging 2.3 points and 3.3 rebounds a game, but she does a lot of little things that help the team be successful — screens, boxing out, playing good defense — which is why she's always in the starting lineup.
During a recent Quick Chat, Isaacs talked about how she evaluates her performances, how she'd spend an afternoon with coach Joni Taylor, her funniest teammate, and much more. Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: We're doing this interview right around the holidays, so what signals that you're home for the holidays? Is there a sight or a smell when you get home that tells you it's that time of year?
Isaacs: I think when my mom makes cinnamon rolls. The house smells like cinnamon, flour and sugar — she makes homemade cinnamon rolls and it's maybe my favorite thing to eat around the holidays. That smells reminds me the most that it's time for Christmas.
Frierson: What is the best present you've ever received?
Isaacs: Definitely my first car. That was a really nice gift I got. I was just really excited; I was hoping I was going to get one and they kept telling me I wasn't — it was my senior year (of high school), so when I got it I was really excited.
Frierson: What's the best present you've ever given someone?
Isaacs: That's a tough one. It wasn't until I got to college that I could actually afford to give gifts. I will say the best gift I've given someone was probably a surprise party — just decorated the room out and got them a couple of things that they wanted. It was exciting.
Frierson: Who is the funniest person on the team?
Isaacs: I don't know, it's a lot tougher this year. Adding the new pieces that we have with the freshmen, it makes it a lot tougher. If I had to pick one, I'd have to give it to Kimmy (Kimora Jenkins), she's hilarious.
Frierson: Que Morrison is the most popular answer and I'm glad to hear you come up with another name. Que admits to being pretty goofy, so in what way would you say that she is goofy?
Isaacs: I just think Que loves to make people smile. That's the best thing about her and being her teammate, she just loves to see people smile and have a good time. She will do whatever it takes to see you laugh.
Frierson: As someone with three sisters, do you get the same kind of feeling with this team now that you've been here for a few years?
Isaacs: That's one of the reasons why I came to Georgia, it was a home away from home. I knew a couple of the players when I was being recruited so I already had close relationships with them before coming to Georgia. Being able to build off of that and create bonds with all of the new people that I've met, and just build that sisterhood, I know I can really count on everyone and they feel like a family member to me.
Frierson: On the court, you're a player that does a bunch of little things that may not show up on the stat sheet all of the time. How do you evaluate whether or not you've had a good game?
Isaacs: I think to measure that, if I'm tired after the game, just exhausted, that means I have it everything I had and sacrificed myself and my body on the defensive end. I'm going to do everything that I can because I know that defense sparks offense. It may not be me scoring the ball but winning is all that matters to me, and I'll do whatever it takes to win.
Looking back after a game, I do like to go watch the game to see the kind of mistakes that I make and what I can do better. Good game or bad game, I feel like a bad game is when you lose. If you go out there and give everything you have, it's always a great game if you win.
Frierson: If you could play with or against anyone in history, who would it be?
Isaacs: Oh, wow, that's a tough question. Kahleah Copper (of the Chicago Sky in the WNBA), I would love to play with her. She obviously does light up a stat sheet and she's a very high-energy player. She just wants you to play hard; she reminds me of Que, she plays so hard that she makes you want to play hard.
Frierson: If you could spend an afternoon with Joni Taylor doing anything, what would it be?
Isaacs: Shopping [laughs]. I'd go shopping with Joni. We'd definitely go shopping for shoes. Her shoe game has gotten a lot better this year and I'd like to get some new Jordans.
(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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