When Jordan Poole was young, his family was fond of cats.
Poole was on the road so much with AAU tournaments and various basketball commitments, his mother, Monet Poole, didn't want to buy a dog because she knew they would be on the road so much.
Eventually, Jordan got to name one.
"His name was Bling," Poole said.
Of course it was.
Poole, an 18-year-old freshman from Milwaukee, began his Michigan career the same way he does everything else: Loud, confident and energetic.
He's the player who breaks out in dance during random situations. At the Big Ten tournament, Poole spent time in the locker room after games to mock interview teammates during the media scrum. He mean-mugged a camera after a dunk at Penn State. He made sure to get a smile on national television just over Jim Delany's shoulder on stage after the Big Ten tournament win.
Michigan guard Jordan Poole (2), celebrates his buzzer-beater with teammates during second half of second round of the NCAA tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan., Saturday, March 17, 2018. Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press
This is Jordan Poole. A showman's showman. A guy who used to watch the NCAA tournament for what came after the buzzer.
"I didn't even watch the games, I just watched 'One Shining Moment,' " Poole said Saturday night in Wichita. "(Thinking about) my shot going in, listening to that music."
Poole's haymaker at the buzzer Saturday night pushed Michigan over Houston and into the West Region semifinals with a 64-63 win in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Wichita.
The play itself was something Michigan works on all the time. But the player who took the last shot is a guy who has been waiting on this his entire life.
Michigan guard Jordan Poole (2), center, celebrates his buzzer-beater with teammates guard Zavier Simpson (3), left, and guard Ibi Watson (23), right, during second half of second round of the NCAA tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan., Saturday, March 17, 2018. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)
"I've never cried tears of joy, but I was damn close. I couldn't believe it went in," senior co-captain Duncan Robinson said. "And of all people, for JP to hit it. It's almost like it's a joke or it sounds like it might have been written or something."
Poole began the season as a talented scorer, but one who worked on Michigan's scout team. Michigan coach John Beilein wasn't sure if the youngster was ready or able to reel himself in at times during live competition, so Poole was forced to prove it to him.
Over time, and after watching Poole make big shot after big shot against the starters in practice, Beilein moved Poole into the rotation. And over the course of Michigan's first two months of the season, Poole always seemed to make the most of his minutes. He dubbed himself "The Microwave" at one point in January.
"Shoutout to Vinnie Johnson," Poole said at the time.
Poole's energy and charisma are only parts of the equation here, though. The reason Beilein trusts him in game-winning situations is Poole's willingness to work on all areas of his game. He loves to have fun, he loves to joke, he loves to talk. But he also loves to work.
Add it all up and you get a pretty solid mixture.
Earlier this season, fellow freshman Isaiah Livers, Poole's roommate, credited his classmate for infusing a different sense of swagger into the rest of the roster. Michigan's played with an edge for a variety of reasons this season and Poole's absolutely part of that combination.
"I know (my attitude) kind of gives everybody else on the team confidence to just be who they are," Poole says. "The last couple teams coach B's had, you didn't really see guys out there screaming or standing over people when they get a dunk. I feel like I was able to come in here and have a positive impact on (the team) emotionally, letting them be themselves.
"If I tone it down, that's not fair to them."
After Poole's shot fell through the bottom of the net Saturday, Beilein paced up and down the scorer's table with his hands on his head. He eventually made his way back to the bench before looking over at his wife, Kathleen, with astonishment on his face.
Michigan head coach John Beilein hugs his wife Kathleen Beilein after defeating Houston 64-63 in second round of the NCAA tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan., Saturday, March 17, 2018. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)
Poole ran laps up and down the floor, he was eventually tackled. After giving a postgame television interview on the floor, he ran back toward Michigan's traveling fan contingent to pump them up one more time.
Beilein said Poole had an "overdose of swag."
"I was just thinking about how many great moments I've had in the past three years here, and this one is definitely up there," Michigan's Moritz Wagner said. "Chasing Jordan Poole around the court, who would have thought.
"I don't know. I'm kind of speechless."
Poole wasn't. And probably never will be.
The Microwave. Michigan's Mouth. The Poole Party. There are no shortage of nickname options and that list will probably grow longer now.
"He's got a lot of confidence, and he'll tell you about it, too," Beilein says. "He's not afraid to speak his mind. And he's a wonderful young man who's growing every day."
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the WZZM 13 app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@wzzm13.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.
