Quick Chat: Jordan Cole
November 02, 2023 | Women's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
At this time last year, Jordan Cole was still Jordan Isaacs. The Georgia women's basketball fifth-year forward changed her name over the summer after her stepfather, Brian Cole, finalized his adoption. She may have a new last name, but she's the same upbeat and outgoing Jordan who has started 76 games in her career.
Cole, from Alpharetta, Ga., averaged 2.3 points and 3.5 rebounds a game last season, including a 12-point, eight-rebound game against Georgia Tech. But the 6-footer's greatest contributions have come in doing the little things on both ends of the floor that help her teammates shine.
During a recent Quick Chat, Cole talked about her name change, her days doing ballet when she was young, where she wants to be in 10 years, and much more. Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: As we do this, Halloween is right around the corner. Do you have a favorite Halloween candy?
Cole: I'm not a candy girl, but I'll eat some Starburst, for sure. Those are my favorite practice snack. I'll grab a couple and eat some for energy [laughs].
Frierson: What was the best Halloween costume you ever wore?
Cole: I don't know. My freshman year, I was a dead bunny. Yeah. And last year, I was a prisoner, so it's probably tied for those two [laughs].
Frierson: Were you going through some emotional things with those costumes?
Cole: [Laughs] I had ears, and I had the little tail, but I was like, that's not really spooky. I'm all for the theme; I'm not trying to be cute, I'm trying to be spooky, so I just added a little blood and a little scar on my head. Someone asked me, what are you? I said, "I think I'm a dead bunny." [Laughs]
Frierson: Congratulations on your name change. Is it weird to suddenly be Jordan Cole after a lifetime of being Jordan Isaacs? Do you ever catch yourself introducing yourself as Jordan Isaacs?
Cole: That's a really good question. I do catch myself from time to time, but I think once the season starts and I hear it, I'll be like, this is who I am and this is the new me. It's a new chapter that I want to begin.
Frierson: Did you take it as an opportunity to be a new you in other ways?
Cole: Obviously there are some personal things, like spiritually and mentally, that I've changed since being adopted. I'm really excited and looking forward to the season.
Frierson: I know you like to sing, so is there one song that you really love to sing or wish you could nail perfectly?
Cole: Lately, I have been singing this song by Whitney Houston, "I Have Nothing." I have been singing that song so much — I just love to sing it.
Frierson: How would you grade your version of that song?
Cole: Honestly, I'm going to give myself an 8 (out of 10). I don't sound that bad [laughs].
Frierson: Do you have a song or a type of music that gets you ready for practice or games?
Cole: I don't really have a particular song. It's crazy, when I hear certain words, I just sing a song that has those words in it. Coach ABE (Katie Abrahamson-Henderson) will be like, "You need to fight harder," and I'll just start singing a song that has the word fight in it while we're encouraging each other.
Frierson: Which would feel better, a double-digit scoring game or a double-digit rebound game?
Cole: I would say either. I don't even know which one I've had more of. I've probably been closer to getting double-digit rebounds, but they both feel good. Whichever helps the team win is all that matters. Whatever I've got to do.
Frierson: In a perfect world, what are you doing in 10 years?
Cole: I'll have a job, hopefully be married, and just fulfilling my purpose in life. I feel like that's my main goal right now. I want to be giving back, for sure. Over the summer, I got to work with the Boys & Girls Club, working with kids, and it really made me appreciate the sport that I do love and what I'm doing here.
I know that I want to go into coaching after this, and just giving back and sharing the passion that I have for the game.
Frierson: Because you want to get into coaching, are you watching what Georgia's coaches do and how they go about things?
Cole: Always. Sometimes I'll find myself trying to help a teammate, and I'll say something that Coach ABE is about to say. It's nice to know that I'm learning and I'm taking notes and catching on.
Frierson: Who is the funnest person on this year's team?
Cole: It's tied between Zo (Zoesha Smith) and Amiya (Evans). They make me laugh, but everybody makes me laugh. I laugh at everything, but they are really funny people
Frierson: I know you did ballet when you were younger. How long did you do it? And do you think it has helped you be a better basketball player?
Cole: I went into ballet for maybe five or six years when I was younger. And I'd definitely say it helps with my footwork. I'm just as fast as the guards, and I'm pretty light on my feet, and I have to thank ballet for that.
Frierson: Do you ever do the thing where you stand on your toes?
Cole: I actually do. We have an annual talent show that we do as a team, and this past year I showed them my ballet skills. I've still got it a little bit [laughs].
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
At this time last year, Jordan Cole was still Jordan Isaacs. The Georgia women's basketball fifth-year forward changed her name over the summer after her stepfather, Brian Cole, finalized his adoption. She may have a new last name, but she's the same upbeat and outgoing Jordan who has started 76 games in her career.
Cole, from Alpharetta, Ga., averaged 2.3 points and 3.5 rebounds a game last season, including a 12-point, eight-rebound game against Georgia Tech. But the 6-footer's greatest contributions have come in doing the little things on both ends of the floor that help her teammates shine.
During a recent Quick Chat, Cole talked about her name change, her days doing ballet when she was young, where she wants to be in 10 years, and much more. Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: As we do this, Halloween is right around the corner. Do you have a favorite Halloween candy?
Cole: I'm not a candy girl, but I'll eat some Starburst, for sure. Those are my favorite practice snack. I'll grab a couple and eat some for energy [laughs].
Frierson: What was the best Halloween costume you ever wore?
Cole: I don't know. My freshman year, I was a dead bunny. Yeah. And last year, I was a prisoner, so it's probably tied for those two [laughs].
Frierson: Were you going through some emotional things with those costumes?
Cole: [Laughs] I had ears, and I had the little tail, but I was like, that's not really spooky. I'm all for the theme; I'm not trying to be cute, I'm trying to be spooky, so I just added a little blood and a little scar on my head. Someone asked me, what are you? I said, "I think I'm a dead bunny." [Laughs]
Frierson: Congratulations on your name change. Is it weird to suddenly be Jordan Cole after a lifetime of being Jordan Isaacs? Do you ever catch yourself introducing yourself as Jordan Isaacs?
Cole: That's a really good question. I do catch myself from time to time, but I think once the season starts and I hear it, I'll be like, this is who I am and this is the new me. It's a new chapter that I want to begin.
Frierson: Did you take it as an opportunity to be a new you in other ways?
Cole: Obviously there are some personal things, like spiritually and mentally, that I've changed since being adopted. I'm really excited and looking forward to the season.
Frierson: I know you like to sing, so is there one song that you really love to sing or wish you could nail perfectly?
Cole: Lately, I have been singing this song by Whitney Houston, "I Have Nothing." I have been singing that song so much — I just love to sing it.
Frierson: How would you grade your version of that song?
Cole: Honestly, I'm going to give myself an 8 (out of 10). I don't sound that bad [laughs].
Frierson: Do you have a song or a type of music that gets you ready for practice or games?
Cole: I don't really have a particular song. It's crazy, when I hear certain words, I just sing a song that has those words in it. Coach ABE (Katie Abrahamson-Henderson) will be like, "You need to fight harder," and I'll just start singing a song that has the word fight in it while we're encouraging each other.
Frierson: Which would feel better, a double-digit scoring game or a double-digit rebound game?
Cole: I would say either. I don't even know which one I've had more of. I've probably been closer to getting double-digit rebounds, but they both feel good. Whichever helps the team win is all that matters. Whatever I've got to do.
Frierson: In a perfect world, what are you doing in 10 years?
Cole: I'll have a job, hopefully be married, and just fulfilling my purpose in life. I feel like that's my main goal right now. I want to be giving back, for sure. Over the summer, I got to work with the Boys & Girls Club, working with kids, and it really made me appreciate the sport that I do love and what I'm doing here.
I know that I want to go into coaching after this, and just giving back and sharing the passion that I have for the game.
Frierson: Because you want to get into coaching, are you watching what Georgia's coaches do and how they go about things?
Cole: Always. Sometimes I'll find myself trying to help a teammate, and I'll say something that Coach ABE is about to say. It's nice to know that I'm learning and I'm taking notes and catching on.
Frierson: Who is the funnest person on this year's team?
Cole: It's tied between Zo (Zoesha Smith) and Amiya (Evans). They make me laugh, but everybody makes me laugh. I laugh at everything, but they are really funny people
Frierson: I know you did ballet when you were younger. How long did you do it? And do you think it has helped you be a better basketball player?
Cole: I went into ballet for maybe five or six years when I was younger. And I'd definitely say it helps with my footwork. I'm just as fast as the guards, and I'm pretty light on my feet, and I have to thank ballet for that.
Frierson: Do you ever do the thing where you stand on your toes?
Cole: I actually do. We have an annual talent show that we do as a team, and this past year I showed them my ballet skills. I've still got it a little bit [laughs].
(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.
