Detroit Pistons rookie guard Jaden Ivey has been electrifying to start the season. He plays the game at breakneck speed and has some dog in his game, which will endear him to fans in Detroit.
His Detroit roots run deep, and like many in the Motor City, he’s an avid pet lover.
Jaden Ivey gave a glimpse into his love for animals in a recent interview with Whistle’s Meet the Pets, an original series showcasing athletes with their pets, with Frank Gore, A’Ja Wilson, Johnathan Abram and Katelyn O’ Hashi all making appearances.
I asked Josh Millan, VP for Team Whistle, what made them choose Jaden Ivey and he gave some insight into why they wanted Ivey as a guest:
"“Jaden Ivey is one of the most exciting players from this year’s draft… he’s the type of young personality that will resonate well with our audience”"
The Detroit Pistons rookie and his mother Niele Ivey teamed up for an episode and gave us a glimpse into their lives off the court.
Detroit Pistons: Jaden Ivey and his pets
Jaden Ivey is the proud owner of two little fur-babies, a one-year-old Dalmatian named Gigi, and a Dachshund puppy named Teddy. The love for both Gigi and Teddy is obvious in the Ivey family and it was on full display during Meet the Pets.
Niele spoke a lot about Gigi and the similarities in her and Jaden. She stated,
"“That’s his spirit animal it’s just so crazy spending time with Gigi because it’s literally just like when Jaden was as a kid”"
Jaden had plenty to say about Gigi stating “She’s crazy… she’ll jump on you, bite your hair” laughing about her playfulness. Jaden went on mentioning “To show my appreciation I got her a friend” in reference to Teddy.
Teddy was only nine weeks old at the time of filming, but that didn’t stop her from stealing the show. She seems to be fitting in nicely in her new home. Her drip was on point, rocking a blue polka dot neck tie, similar to what Ivey wore on draft night. When she wasn’t sleeping or relaxing she was getting pampered. Teddy had a nice doggy spa day in the episode, she’s definitely enjoying life as the newest member of the Ivey family.
The Meet the Pets episodes bring a unique prospective to the modern day athlete. Whether you are a sports fan or animal lover, you can connect with the athlete on a more intimate level. Many times fans often forget that these sports figures are normal human beings and this platform brings it back to the forefront.
Meet the Pets has been around for two years providing fans exclusive content. With so many athletes from all genres of sports there’s definitely a episode for everybody. The next episode features professional soccer player Walker Zimmerman for Nashville SC, and the US National Team.