Just Like Me: Jordan Poole

2

"I gotta tell you, Jordan..." Joe started, looking across the table at the 23 year old point guard. "We're impressed with your play on the court but I need you to clean up the behavior on social media and outside of basketball."

Steve Kerr cut in next. "Yeah, you're not a cancer to this organization and I hate to make it seem that way but you gotta clean the act up."

Jordan sat back in the chair, nodding. "I apologize."

"Don't apologize, JP. Just represent yourself in a more mature way." Joe said. "The near altercations with people is not what we stand for, you understand?"

The guard wanted to push back on so much of what they said during the 45 minute meeting regarding his off the court woes, but didn't. He was in the public eye and semi-agreed that he needed to take more things in life seriously. "Yes, sir."

"Alright. Go home and get ready for tomorrow night, kiddo."

Jordan pushed his glasses up onto his face as he left the office where the meeting was held. He didn't think he was immature but coach Kerr and the Warriors owner seemed to have some issues with what he did when he wasn't playing basketball.

Honestly, he wasn't sure how much more mature they wanted him to be at 23 years old. He was a young NBA superstar, attractive and rich, with nothing but the world at his feet.

Chase Center was empty with exception of a few members of staff, so instead of leaving the arena like he was supposed to, he took the right to the court.

As he walked through the tunnel, he spotted a small figure sitting in the silent area.

Destiny sat there with a book in her lap and a salad in her hand. She was so focused on the book that she didn't see Jordan until he was right in front of her.

"Hi, Jordan." She greeted slightly embarrassed at how they were seeing each other.

She was in an Essentials sweatsuit, eating her lunch and reading a book in the tunnel of the arena. It was closed today so she was there against the rules just at Jordan was.

"Hey." He tucked his hands into his pockets. "You okay?"

She smiled, waving it off. "Me? I'm fine. Are you okay? You know the arena is closed today?"

Jordan gave her a confused look, the infectious smile never faltering from his face as he knelt down. "Says the girl sitting on the floor in said arena with a half eaten salad, reading..."

"It's called Violent Ends." She told him, crossing her legs when he took the book to read it. "It's about a school shooting."

"Interesting." He handed the book back, being careful not to lose her page. "Why you doing that here?"

"I could ask you that." Destiny said, picking her salad up.

"I'm here playing basketball and I am an actual basketball player so..." He explained it in a smart way, causing her to jokingly roll her eyes. "But you... Miss Bathing suit line, are breaking rules."

"So are you." She said, biting into her salad.

"But I'm breaking rules to do my job." Jordan tried to justify what he was saying. "You're breaking rules to be a nerd in a dark tunnel."

"I actually can hoop. My brother taught me."

Jordan cracked a joke about Jalen, talking to Rielle. "I would cook Jay."

Destiny couldn't help her close-mouthed laugh as she struggled not to spit any salad out. When she finished chewing and swallowing, she shook her head at him. "You're a jokester."