Magic's Jonathan Isaac explains why he didn't kneel during anthem

After the game, the 22-year-old explained his decision not to take a knee to reporters:

“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 believe that my life has been supported through the Gospel, Jesus Christ,” added Isaac. “Everyone is made in the image of God … I think when you look around, racism isn’t the only thing that plagues our society, that plagues our nation, that plagues our world. And I feel like coming together on that message that we want to get past not only racism but everything that plagues us as a society. I feel the answer to it is the Gospel.”

The former No. 6 overall pick Isaac has emerged as a key contributor for the Magic, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Friday’s game, in which he put up 16 points and six rebounds in a 128-118 win for Orlando, marked Isaac’s first time back in action since suffering a knee injury in January.

Isaac has been open about his Christian faith and even became an ordained minister during the NBA shutdown. He once tried to get his teammates to attend a sermon that he gave but was not quite successful in doing so.