Fans and analysts have turned on Orlando Magic star Jonathan Isaac and each other after he shunned the Black Lives Matter T-shirts worn by his teammates, stood during the anthem and left in a wheelchair with a painful knee injury.
Forward and ordained minister Isaac was the first NBA star not to kneel during the national anthem as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, standing in his team colors while his teammates observed the gesture in T-shirts bearing the name of the campaign.
He explained that “black lives are supported through the gospel” before enduring an agonizing end to Magic’s win over Sacramento Kings on Sunday, collapsing to the floor and leaving the court in a wheelchair with what proved to be a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
The 22-year-old was playing just his second game since returning from hyperextending the same knee on New Year’s Day, missing 31 games with a posterior lateral corner injury and medial bone contusion.
Prayers up for Jonathan Isaac after being taken off in a wheelchair with a knee injury. ? pic.twitter.com/tWoMEcDjKr
This is super ironic.
Refused to kneel so 2020 had to take the knee away
I bet Jonathan Isaac ain’t standing for the anthem now. pic.twitter.com/NZsZFn3eDs
“This is super ironic,” said one fan after watching footage of Isaac being consoled as he sat in the wheelchair waiting to be helped back to the locker room.
“Refused to kneel so 2020 had to take the knee away,” another crueller response said, while one argued: “Isaac won’t get a lot of empathy here as he didn’t exhibit any [earlier].
“I’m sure people will try to chastise folks for not caring about him but who gives a f*ck about an injury? Why should I care about an athlete’s career when he doesn’t give a f*ck about people’s lives?”
Before making his stand for the first time ahead of Magic’s win at Brooklyn Nets on Friday, Isaac insisted: “I do believe that black lives matter.
“I just felt like it was a decision I had to make and I didn’t feel like putting that shirt on and kneeling went hand in hand with supporting Black lives.
Wait Jonathan Isaac decided not to kneel then got a knee injury? pic.twitter.com/JWyvQnyzkx
Seeking woke NBA cheer Jonathan Isaac getting hurt is so metaphoric the disgustingness and idiocracy of these people
If you’re celebrating Jonathan Isaac’s injury there’s something wrong with you
There is something seriously wrong with the people making fun of Jonathan Isaac’s injruyPrayers up for Issac.
“I don’t think that kneeling or putting on a t-shirt for me, personally, is the answer.”
Kings reporter Kayte Christensen-Hunter voiced her fury at fans who taunted Isaac in the aftermath of his horrendous-looking injury.
“I got a lot of tweets from people saying that this was karma,” she revealed. “That’s just really nasty.
“That is not what sport is about. I implore you all to have some decency. That is disgusting to me.”
The taking of the knee during the national anthem has been a point of contention ever since NFL star Colin Kaepernick started the trend in 2016, earning praise from many social justice campaigners alongside rebukes from figures including US president Donald Trump, who has threatened to boycott teams should they opt to kneel.
Every Far-left liberal when Jonathan Isaac tears his ACL after standing for the anthem. pic.twitter.com/n2AEcbzM4E
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
This side-by-side of Jonathan Isaac and LeBron James is powerful.LeBron defends the Chinese dictatorship, has a $1 billion Nike deal and thinks it’s brave to kneel during the anthem.Isaac is 22, on a rookie deal and stands alone because of his Christian faith. That’s courage. pic.twitter.com/j9vtafNME2
The symbolic act has become globally popular among athletes since the killing of George Floyd in May, leading to the vast majority of players kneeling before matches in major competitions around the world.
US sports reporter David Hookstead perceived Isaac as showing greater bravery than LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers great who has been an outspoken advocate of the campaign.
“This is what courage looks like,” he declared. “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.
“LeBron defends the Chinese dictatorship, has a $1 billion Nike deal and thinks it’s brave to kneel during the anthem.
“Isaac is 22, on a rookie deal and stands alone because of his Christian faith. That’s courage.”
Just a FYI, if everybody is kneeling for the anthem – and you’re the only one standing up, you’re a clown. Jonathan Isaac. Meyers Leonard. All of them.You’re completely disregarding the point trying to be made, and showing you just don’t care. Period.
everyone that’s making jokes cuz he didn’t kneel are heartless, someone just got injured. hoping for a speedy recovery ?✨
Jonathan Isaac’s jersey sales have skyrocketed after he stood for the National Anthem.He is now number two in jerseys sales among players only behind LeBron James. pic.twitter.com/1JLwEPtLG8
TV personality Chris ‘Swaggy C’ Williams vehemently disagreed, telling his 56,000 Twitter followers: “If everybody is kneeling for the anthem and you’re the only one standing up, you’re a clown.
“You’re completely disregarding the point trying to be made and showing you just don’t care. Period.”
As the insults and accusations of wokeness continued, Isaac’s teammates were more shocked by the extent of his pain.
“That was tough, man,” forward Aaron Gordon admitted to ESPN. “That one brought me to tears instantly.
“I know how good of a guy JI is and how hard he works and how hard he has worked to get back since hurting himself. I hope it is not as bad as it seems.”
“For him to go down like that was very difficult to see, especially when you know he just came back,” added fellow player Nikola Vucevic.
“Hopefully it is nothing too serious and he doesn’t have to be out for a long time because it would really suck for him, and of course we need him as well.”
A well-followed NBA news account claimed that sales of replica Isaac shirts had “skyrocketed” after he stood for the anthem, making him the most in-demand name after four-time Most Valuable Player James.
