NBA’s Jonathan Isaac Publishing Book With Ben Shapiro About Refusal to Kneel During National Anthem

Isaac was one of the only players to stand for the national anthem as others kneeled as part of the Black Lives Matter movement

Jonathan Isaac stands during the national anthem before an NBA game. Isaac is releasing a new book through Ben Shapiro's publishing house.
Jonathan Isaac stands during the national anthem before an NBA game.
Kim Klement-Pool/Getty

Earlier this week, Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac announced he is teaming up with Ben Shapiro’s publishing company to release a book about being one of a handful of NBA players who did not kneel during the national anthem as part of a league-wide demonstration supporting the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.

Selected with the sixth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the former Florida State Seminoles basketball star somehow got hooked up with the book publishing division of the conservative pundit’s media company The Daily Wire. “We’re honored to have Jonathan Isaac join us as one of DW Book’s first authors. His faith in God, love of country, and personal courage have already inspired millions of Americans and we cannot wait to share his story with our members and the rest of the world,” Shapiro said. 

As Shapiro noted in his statement, Isaac has strong beliefs about his faith and cited his faith in Jesus Christ when explaining why he chose not to kneel in support of the BLM movement. The 24-year-old also is not vaccinated against COVID-19.

“This book is the story of how my experiences and faith have shaped who I am and my perspective on the world,” Isaac said in a press release issued by The Daily Wire. “In a time where our country needs men and women willing to stand for freedom of thought, personal medical decisions, and biblical values, courage could not be more paramount. In this book, I’m going to tell the story of why I chose to stand. I hope it inspires others to do the same.”

Why I Stand goes on sale in May 2022 in hardcover, e-book and audio formats. Signed to a four-year, $80 million extension in 2020 despite having played just 64 minutes on the court dating back to January of that year, Isaac tore his ACL in August of 2020 and has yet to play this season after missing all of last season. The Magic do expect him back at some point, although it won’t matter at all as Orlando is literally the worst team in the NBA with a putrid record of 7-34.

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