While the national anthem was being played before the kickoff of the Orlando Magic vs. Brooklyn nets game, it was easy to notice one player standing out from the crowd. Magic forward, Jonathan Isaac, also an ordained minister, will always be recognized as the first-ever NBA player to fail to take a knee or pull on a “Black Lives Matter” shirt like the rest of his teammates. According to people that we’re aware of his decision, it did not surprise the rest of his teammates since it was something they had discussed beforehand, as written by the associated press.
When asked about his beliefs concerning black lives matter, Jonathan Isaac asserted that he believed in the importance of black lives. However, he also said that many other factors influenced his decision. He clearly said that supporting the black lives does not necessarily have to go hand-in-hand with taking a knee or putting on a black lives matter t-shirt. Although he believes and supports the black lives matter movement, he felt it was a personal decision that had to be made.