NBA’s Jonathan Isaac Details To Megyn Kelly The Moment He Stood For National Anthem While Entire Team Kneeled

NBA player with the Orlando Magic Jonathan Isaac told Megyn Kelly this week that standing for the National Anthem, while his team kneeled, was an easy decision for him because of his strong faith.

On Kelly’s latest episode of her SiriusXM show, Isaac discussed the complexities of the protest that rose from the killing of George Floyd.

Isaac said, “What happened to George Floyd was obviously tragic and you know, what’s happened in our world and is happening right now is obviously tragic. What I tried my best to do was to take a step back and say, ‘What is the right way for me to respond in a way that can bring the most change,’ the same way that people who decided to kneel or disagree with me, made a decision for themselves about, you know, what they wanted to do, which was kneel for the National Anthem and wear a Black Lives Matter T-shirt. For me, it wasn’t — in that moment, looking at my life and saying the love of Jesus Christ is the thing that has changed me that has helped me.”

He continued, “I couldn’t think of a better or a greater message or antidote for the problems that we see, — racism and all the different things that ultimately plagued the hearts of men. I couldn’t see a better antidote for it. And so I decided to not step into a fight, not step into a political moment, not step into, you know, the craziness of what was happening at the moment and say, I have an opportunity to be a mouthpiece of — hope and what I ultimately believe is gonna change this country. If we can, if we can choose to see it.”

Kelly then asks about how Isaac handled the situation with his team, asking, “How did that come about like the team and you’re sitting there and they’re talking about their plan and you’re thinking something else?”

“There were murmurs of — the players deciding to kneel and wear the t-shirt, but it wasn’t confirmed. I think it, the only thing that was confirmed was that they were gonna have Black Lives Matter t-shirts as the warmup t-shirts — the kneeling wasn’t confirmed until the first team did it,” Isaac recalled. “The next day was coming and we were set to play. And so now we have this team meeting and they’re like, ‘Yo, we don’t have a choice.’ You know, there is no conversation here. We have to kneel. You know, granted, there were plenty of guys who wanted to kneel, but definitely the sentiment in the room was like, there’s no need to have this conversation because this is just what it has to be.”

Speaking specifically as to why he decided to stand, Isaac said, “I know what has helped countless people and ultimately what is gonna be the thing that changes the world and that’s the gospel, and that’s the love of Jesus Christ. If we’re willing to show it and share it. That’s why I decided to stand. I had a conversation with my pastor the night before, and ultimately said, ‘Listen, it’s bigger than skin color. It’s the hearts of men that need to be changed.’ And racism is not the only thing that plays the hearts of men. But I know that the gospel changes the hearts of men.”

“Did you ever think you as a black man you would have to justify whether you believe that ‘Black Lives Matter’ just because you wouldn’t put on a t-shirt and take a knee?” Kelly asked.

Isaac replied, “Part of the problem for me was that it was an order. It was made to seem as though the only way that you could support Black lives in this moment was to do what we tell you. And that is to kneel for the National Anthem and wear a Black Lives Matter t-shirt. And if you didn’t do that, then you were immediately a bad person and evil person, and you didn’t care anything about Black lives.”

Listen above via The Megyn Kelly Show.