After making waves for refusing to kneel in protest against racism during the pre-game national anthem, Orlando Magic player Jonathan Isaac stands firm in his decision and thanked fans for prayers after he sustained a devastating injury in another game.
Last week, 22-year-old Isaac became the first and only NBA player inside the bubble to stand during the national anthem and to avoid wearing a “Black Lives Matter” shirt.
Orlando Magic player Jonathan Isaac stood alone for the national anthem.
This is what courage looks like. When the rest of the NBA took a knee, Isaac stood with pride for America.
Sometimes, when you stand for what is right, you must stand alone. pic.twitter.com/fl4cb2qbtF
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) July 31, 2020
Isaac explained after the game that he obviously believes black lives matter, but that “kneeling while wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt [doesn’t] go hand-in-hand with supporting black lives. My life has been supported through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and everyone is made in the image of God.”
Jonathan Isaac became the first #NBA player inside the bubble to stand during the national anthem. He also chose not to wear a #BlackLivesMatter shirt
After the game the first question he fielded was "Do you believe Black Lives Matter?"
He responded: "Absolutely."
Full answer: pic.twitter.com/SNBVar7pg7
— Daren Stoltzfus (@DarenStoltzfus) July 31, 2020
“My teammates know who I am and what I believe as a person and they respect me for the decision,” Isaac added. “For me, personally, it’s not coming from a position of wanting to be popular or wanting to be seen. It all came down to what’s in my heart; I stake my flag with Jesus.”
Over the weekend, however, Isaac suffered a torn ACL during an away game against the Sacramento Kings.
Saying a prayer for @JJudahIsaac. pic.twitter.com/qUhw3QOK58
— FOX Sports Florida & Sun (@FOXSportsFL) August 3, 2020
Several Twitter users were merciless toward Isaac, claiming that he deserved his injury for refusing to side with BLM.
He finally took a knee. Good for him
— car fox ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ (@ror925) August 3, 2020
The ghost of George Floyd
— danny (@danny96958486) August 3, 2020
O say can you see by the dawn's early light
— King Me (@ExquisiteSunnyD) August 3, 2020
ESPN radio host Dan Le Batard even ran a poll on Twitter asking,“Is it funny the guy who refused to kneel immediately blew out his knee?”
Le Batard said multiple times on the show that he did not think it was funny, according to the New York Post, but the poll was posted nonetheless.
“We apologize for this poll question,” the show’s Twitter account posted. “I said on the front and back end of the on-air conversation that I didn’t think it was funny. Regardless of the context, we missed the mark. We took the tweet down when we realized our mistake in how we posed the question to the audience. -Dan”
As we previously reported, Kings sideline reporter Kayte Christensen-Hunter denounced the “disgusting” tweets mocking Isaac.
.@kayte_c has a message for those who said Jonathan Isaac's injury was karma pic.twitter.com/WhW9XlsIR7
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) August 3, 2020
Isaac, impervious to hate from social media trolls, thanked fans for prayer and proclaimed his faith, saying he still stands “in Jesus’ name.”
IT IS WELL!!! 2 Kings 4! Thank you for all of your prayers and concerns I’m encouraged. Remember our God is not just a God of the hills but a God of the valleys! (2 Corinthians ch 4 vs 9!) MY COMEBACK WILL BE GREATER THAN MY SETBACK!!!! I STILL STAND IN JESUS NAME!!!! pic.twitter.com/9Icv0WULQ6
— Jonathan Isaac (@JJudahIsaac) August 3, 2020
“IT IS WELL!!!” Isaac tweeted. “2 Kings 4! Thank you for all of your prayers and concerns I’m encouraged. Remember our God is not just a God of the hills but a God of the valleys! (2 Corinthians ch 4 vs 9!) MY COMEBACK WILL BE GREATER THAN MY SETBACK!!!! I STILL STAND IN JESUS NAME!!!!”
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