{"id":2450385,"date":"2025-06-22T08:11:01","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T12:11:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nba-power-forward-who-refused-to-kneel-back-in-2020-has-made-it-his-mission-to-show-bible-scripture-to-millions\/"},"modified":"2025-06-22T08:12:32","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T12:12:32","slug":"nba-power-forward-who-refused-to-kneel-back-in-2020-has-made-it-his-mission-to-show-bible-scripture-to-millions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nba-power-forward-who-refused-to-kneel-back-in-2020-has-made-it-his-mission-to-show-bible-scripture-to-millions\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Power Forward Who Refused to Kneel Back in 2020 Has Made It His Mission to Show Bible Scripture to Millions"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">42<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnba-power-forward-who-refused-to-kneel-back-in-2020-has-made-it-his-mission-to-show-bible-scripture-to-millions%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2450385&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Teh article discusses the journey of Jonathan Isaac, an NBA player for the Orlando Magic, focusing on his Christian faith and the launch of his apparel company, Unitus. Known for his refusal to kneel during the national anthem in 2020, Isaac aims to create a brand that reflects Christian values and provides alternatives to mainstream products that may not align with those beliefs. His company features clothing and footwear, including his signature shoe, the Judah 1, which has visible Bible verses. In July 2024, Isaac distributed these shoes to fatherless boys, emphasizing his commitment to spreading positivity through his work. Despite facing challenges, such as a significant injury that halted his career progress, isaac remains dedicated to his faith and mission, believing he was put on the basketball court to glorify God. The article presents IsaacS story as a refreshing narrative amidst the often self<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >-centered celebrity culture<\/a>, encouraging readers to support his brand and message.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_1)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>If you pay close attention to the news every day, you might have developed some kind of anxiety disorder. At minimum, you probably reach a point of exhaustion from time to time. We might call it &ldquo;Outrage Fatigue.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Thus, one craves stories that showcase people whose work spreads light amid relentless darkness.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, earlier this month, Orlando Magic power forward <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/i\/isaacjo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jonathan Isaac<\/a>, who famously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/lone-nba-player-refuses-kneel-doesnt-wear-blm-shirt-gives-perfect-response-critics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">refused to kneel<\/a> for the national anthem during the Black Lives Matter madness of 2020, appeared on the &ldquo;Bold and Blunt&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2025\/jun\/11\/bold-blunt-serving-god-job\/?utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_campaign=twtnl_x\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">podcast<\/a> with Cheryl Chumley of The Washington Times to discuss his Christian-themed apparel company, Unitus.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There are visible Bible verses on the outside of the shoes and on a lot of the clothes,&rdquo; Isaac said during the interview. &ldquo;For me, what it represents is a touchpoint &hellip; that keeps me connected to Christ in my thoughts.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, the <a href=\"https:\/\/weareunitus.com\/pages\/about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Unitus<\/a> website describes the company as &ldquo;a faith-forward footwear and apparel brand designed to help believers stay connected to Christ.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadScript(src) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=src; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.async=true; \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.body.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadScript(\"https:\/\/embed.sendtonews.com\/player3\/embedcode.js?fk=vizqo9x0\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #stnvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#stnvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>The basketball star <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/nba-player-announces-the-first-basketball-sneaker-with-visible-bible-verses-flashback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announced<\/a> his company&rsquo;s signature shoe, the Judah 1, in November 2023.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t wait to lace &rsquo;em up,&rdquo; Isaac said at the time in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-nfl-fans-enraged-after-league-displays-taylor-swift-more-than-star-players-in-bizarre-post\/\" title=\"Watch: NFL Fans Enraged After League Displays Taylor Swift More Than Star Players in Bizarre Post\">promotional video posted<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for Donald Trump\">social media<\/a>. &ldquo;And I&rsquo;ll be saying to myself 2nd Corinthians 4:9. It says, &lsquo;Persecuted but not abandoned. Struck down but not destroyed.&rsquo; And I&rsquo;ll walk on that court.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Then, the power forward took his mission a step further.<\/p>\n<p>In July 2024, for instance, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-fatherless-kids-look-scripture-receiving-free-shoes-christian-nba-star\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Isaac<\/a> helped distribute his basketball shoes to a group of fatherless boys. Clips posted to the social media platform Instagram showed the boys receiving their shoes and then looking up the accompanying Bible verses.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I AM that I AM,&rdquo; one smiling boy said as he read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Exodus%203%3A14&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Exodus 3:14<\/a> after receiving a pair of the Judah 1 Exodus.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, the Christian power forward has done tremendous good.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/nba-player-announces-new-clothing-company-christians-patriots-dont-hide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Isaac<\/a> launched the company in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;When we do give our money to companies that don&rsquo;t support our values, we&rsquo;re cosigning their message,&rdquo; he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/nba-star-launches-nike-alternative-anti-woke-christian-values-valid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told<\/a> Fox News in August 2023. &ldquo;So, what I wanted to do was give Americans, freedom-loving Americans, faith-loving Americans the option to buy with their values.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In many respects, Unitus represents part of a comeback story for Isaac.<\/p>\n<p>During the COVID-shortened 2019-2020 NBA season, his third in the league, Isaac averaged 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 28.8 minutes played per game. Those who watched him that year will remember him as a rising young star.<\/p>\n<p>Those statistics, however, remain his career highs, for a torn ACL cost him the next two seasons.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Jonathan Judah Isaac, a player for the Orlando Magic basketball team, got the idea to make shoes from his pastor, which led him to create UNITUS with the intent to &ldquo;give lovers of God and country a brand they can call their own.&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/yTi8Ob7OVW\">pic.twitter.com\/yTi8Ob7OVW<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Bienvenido (@bienvenido_us) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bienvenido_us\/status\/1729318200075297158?\">November 28, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Since his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/nba-star-refused-kneel-national-anthem-makes-big-return-court-following-injury\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">return to the court<\/a> in the 2022-23 season, he has functioned more as a role player than the rising star his early statistics suggested he might become. But that made little difference to Isaac, who praised God even for his misfortune.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There were days where I was like, &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t know if I want to keep going,&#8217;&rdquo; he said of his recovery process after playing in his first game back from injury in January 2023.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;But then again, I have to thank Christ,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;Being able to go back to my faith and say God has me on this journey for a purpose. I know that I was made to play basketball. I was made to give glory to God on this stage.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In short, any reader who, like me, occasionally grumbles about self-obsessed celebrities will undoubtedly welcome Isaac&rsquo;s story as refreshing.<\/p>\n<p>Better yet, do you have a basketball-playing youngster in your life? If so, help spread Isaac&rsquo;s message. For their birthday, get them a pair of the <a href=\"https:\/\/weareunitus.com\/products\/judah1-triumph\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Judah 1 Triumph<\/a>. Or check out the other four styles of shoes.<\/p>\n<p>After all, no modern competitor could fail to appreciate the verse &ldquo;Persecuted but not abandoned. Struck down but not destroyed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Best of all, imagine an entire starting five, each sporting one of the five Judah 1 styles. Now that would qualify as good news.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you closely follow the news daily, you may have developed anxiety or at least feel exhausted at times, a phenomenon we could term &#8220;Outrage Fatigue.&#8221; This leads to a desire for uplifting stories about individuals who bring positivity in challenging times. A notable example is Jonathan Isaac, a power forward for the Orlando Magic, who recently discussed his Christian-themed apparel brand, Unitus, on the &#8220;Bold and Blunt&#8221; podcast. He mentioned that his products feature visible Bible verses to help him stay connected to Christ. The company aims to support believers in maintaining their faith through fashion. Isaac also announced his signature shoe, the Judah 1, in November 2023 and expressed excitement about wearing them while reflecting on biblical verses during games. Additionally, he has engaged in charitable acts by distributing shoes to fatherless boys and encouraging them with scripture. Isaac founded Unitus with the goal of providing options for consumers who share similar values and beliefs. Despite facing setbacks due to injuries earlier in his career, he remains grateful for his journey and sees basketball as a platform to glorify God. His story offers a refreshing perspective amidst celebrity culture focused on self-interest-especially if you know young basketball enthusiasts who might appreciate his message through products like the Judah 1 shoes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2450386,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Jonathan-Isaac-Judah-shoes.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[57669,7873,57668],"class_list":["post-2450385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-bible-scripture","tag-nba","tag-power-forward"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Jonathan-Isaac-Judah-shoes.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2450385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2450385"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2450385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2450389,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2450385\/revisions\/2450389"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2450386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2450385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2450385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2450385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}