Jordan Poole Admits Forcing Stephen Curry’s Family Decision With Ayesha as Secret NBA Society Gets Revealed

In November, when Stephen Curry turned up to Washington to face former teammate Jordan Poole, tension was in the air following the former’s unceremonious exit from Golden State. However, once Curry led his team to a win over the Wizards, the cameras caught him dapping up Poole as the two shared an embrace. The bond between the two has remained strong and in a recent conversation Poole revealed how he played a part in a major decision for the Curry family.

Curry and Poole came face to face again on January 18 with the Warriors emerging victorious again. In the closing moments of the 4th quarter, Poole made his move toward the basket for a layup, but Curry had other plans. Rising up to block the shot, Curry got the job done. As Curry walked away, something was clearly off with his ankle. But there is something that Poole slid in without Curry blocking it. Hint: it involves cats.

In a conversation with The Washington Post, Jordan Poole opened up about his love for cats and his habit of adopting them from local shelters. Poole was at the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue shelter in Falls Church, Virginia playing with the little furry friends when he let out a secret.

“I may or may not have convinced Steph to get a cat.” Yeah, you read that right, Poole talked Steph and Ayesha into getting a cat and what can you expect from the de facto leader of the NBA’s Secret Cat Society?

“There are a lot of people in the league, I think, who have pets and have cats. It’s sort of a cool community. Like a cool cat community. We just kind of keep it in-house. You’ve got to knock a couple times for us to let you in. Secret code,” Poole said.

Poole’s influence led Wizards youngster Tristan Vukcevic to adopt a cat from PetSmart. Dawn Wallace, the executive director of Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation, told Poole that she heard he inspired Vukcevic to become a cat guy, but a Wizards staffer revealed that Poole “made him” adopt. There are of course other cat dads in the NBA.

Miami Heat rookie Kel’el Ware has a cat and so do Indiana Pacers big duo, Myles Turner and James Wiseman. Poole also revealed that sophomore Keyonte George is also a cat parent. “Elite, elite basketball player. Extremely skillful. He’s also a cat dad,” Poole said. Well, there is a reason why Poole is leading the cat revolution in the league.

Back in college, Poole co-adopted a tabby with his Michigan teammate Isaiah Livers. Then about six years ago, he adopted a black Maine Coon after a rescue and he currently lives with three cats- named Toast, Cacao, and Kota. For Poole adopting cats was a big step as it taught him more about himself.

Though he initially wanted a dog, Poole took pride in learning about cats and their behavior and didn’t what dog people thought of it. “If you like it, then you like it. If that’s your vibe, just do that because it comes more natural than anything else. And then it takes a special interaction and personality to gain the trust of a cat. Once I unlocked it, it was like a really cool challenge. And as I became interested in cats and how they act, how they communicate, it was just cool. It just became normal,” he said.

He’s noticed that his teammates, mostly dog lovers, can’t help but be intrigued by his enthusiasm for his cats. “A lot of guys are dog people, but just the energy [and] the way I talk about them, the pictures and videos and stuff that I show them, it just gives them a little bit more interest,” Poole said. It’s honestly pretty funny how something as simple as cat pics can spark that curiosity in others. Maybe next time, we’ll see some NBA players switching teams—from dogs to cats!

Meanwhile, this cat dad is also lighting it up on court!

The man who convinced Stephen Curry for a cat has been phenomenal this season

Jordan Poole is stepping up in a major way this season, averaging 21.2 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game. His three-point game is looking sharp, too, shooting a career-high 40.1%, up from 36% last season. He’s also taking more shots, attempting 9.3 threes per game—his highest ever.

What’s wild is that Poole creates over 40% of those threes himself, highlighting his improvement as a creator. Even in a tough loss to the Phoenix Suns on 26th Jan, Poole put up 19 points, 10 assists, and six steals, proving he’s a consistent all-around contributor.

As the Wizards continue their rebuild, Poole’s leadership has been invaluable. Playing alongside young talents like Bilal Coulibaly and Johnny Davis, Poole’s experience is guiding them toward quicker development. His on-court decisions and leadership set a solid example for the next generation of Wizards players. You can’t help but notice the impact he’s having on this team, even if the wins aren’t stacking up yet.

While the season might be a tough one for the Wizards, Poole’s performance offers hope for the future. His stats and mentorship show that the team’s rebuilding process is heading in the right direction. As the Wizards focus on long-term success, Poole’s leadership will be at the forefront of their efforts to get back to the top. For now, his growth is one bright spot in an otherwise challenging season.