On Friday, while the national anthem was playing before the Orlando Magic/Brooklyn Nets game, Magic forward Jonathan Isaac, an ordained Christian minister, became the first player in the NBA this season to stand for the national anthem. He also did not wear a “Black Lives Matter” shirt as his teammates did.
“A person with knowledge of Isaac’s decision said it was not a surprise to his teammates and that his choice was discussed ahead of time,” The Associated Press reported.
I asked Jonathan Isaac two questions:
You didn’t kneel during the anthem but you also didn’t wear a black lives matter shirt. Do you believe black lives matter?
Can you explain what religion has to do with kneeling for the anthem to protest against racism and police brutality? pic.twitter.com/me61FleWPY
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) July 31, 2020
After the game, Isaac spoke to the press. He was asked, “Do you believe that black lives matter?”
He answered, “Absolutely. I believe that black lives matter. A lot went into my decision … kneeling or wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt don’t go hand-in-hand with supporting black lives … I do believe that black lives matter, but I just felt like it was a decision that I had to make, and I didn’t feel like putting that shirt on and kneeling went hand-in-hand with supporting black lives.” – READ MORE
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