The Orlando Magic’s Jonathan Isaac is starting a sports clothing company that aims to foster traditional values and the Christian faith. The professional basketball player’s efforts are the latest in a string of athletes speaking out against a number of recent left-wing efforts by sports franchises.
Isaac’s new company UNITUS is a response to brands such as Adidas and Nike, who have often supported left-of-center causes.
The player said on Twitter that his new effort was inspired due to apparel companies “who have made a conscious decision to either attack or undermine Christian values, conservative values and things like that.”
“And I think that they have the free choice to do so, as much as I disagree, but I feel that we also have the freedom to create what we want to create,” Isaac said.
The forward called the basis of the new company was “freedom.”
Retail brands have the freedom to go woke. We have the freedom to create an alternative. UNITUS launches August 2023. Stay tuned🙃 #WeAreUnitus pic.twitter.com/2TIfkVc6Zt
— Jonathan Isaac (@JJudahIsaac) June 2, 2023
The player said that his faith played a major role in the decision, saying that Christians “can be proud of what we believe in.”
“We don’t have to hide it or be ashamed of it,” he said.
Furthermore, Isaac said that as “the day continues to get darker and darker and crazier and crazier” and that “standing up for what you believe is only going to get harder,” adding that “it’s only going to become more and more necessary.”
This is not the first time that the Magic forward has made statements against left-wing politics entering into sports. Isaac received considerable attention for refusing to kneel during the national anthem. In one ESPN photo, he was the only player standing for the anthem.
Isaac cited his faith in Jesus as a major reason why he stood for the Star-Spangled Banner.
The player authored a book entitled Why I Stand, which was published by Daily Wire Books. He said that he saw the issues following the death of George Floyd in 2020 in his own way, wanting to “view it in the way that Christ would.”
He drew inspiration from his pastor, stating that the “love of Jesus Christ is what is ultimately going to heal this world because it is what healed me.”
