While the world watched the NBA make headlines in 2020, one man, Jonathan Isaac, made a different kind of statement. It wasn’t a shout. It wasn’t rebellion. It was a silent stand, both literal and spiritual. In the face of global pressure, cultural expectation, and racial pain, Isaac stood firm, not against justice or people, but for Christ.
“The stand is simply about saying Christ is the answer. He’s the answer then, and He’s still the answer now,” Isaac later told The Christian Post, as he reflected on the moment that made him go viral.
But this moment was not just about national anthems or cultural symbolism. For Isaac, it was about conviction, a deep belief that the Gospel has the power to change lives. He did not deny the pain that the world was feeling in the wake of George Floyd’s death, but he pointed to something deeper, something eternal.
“There’s going to be moments where we, as Christians, are going to have to stand on the Word of God and say, ‘I see what the world is saying, but I’m going to choose what God is saying, regardless of the backlash, regardless of the flack that I’ll get from it.’”
Isaac’s journey hasn’t been without cost. Physically, he suffered a devastating ACL tear, an injury that could end many athletic careers. Emotionally, he carried the weight of public scrutiny and cultural misunderstanding. And financially, the injury impacted a deal with Nike.
But God had a bigger play in motion.
What seemed like a loss opened the door for a divine assignment. With encouragement from his pastor, Isaac began laying the foundation for something greater than endorsement deals, a brand with a kingdom vision. That seed grew into UNITUS , a faith-based sports apparel brand dedicated to keeping people connected to Christ and to each other.
UNITUS wasn’t just clothing, it was a statement. And it birthed something historic: the Judah 1 , the first NBA sneaker imprinted with Scripture.
“It’s a reminder to me, I want to live in a way that honors God,” Isaac said of the sneakers. “And then there’s obviously also the connection to other people that you see wearing the brand and just the brand being celebrated.”
The shoes, the stand, the brand, all of it points back to one truth: the Gospel changes everything.
“What changes us?” Isaac posed. “The Gospel. … It’s changed me, and that’s what I’ve kind of been resting on.”
Isaac’s testimony is not one of perfection, but of purpose. It’s a life shaped by pain but grounded in faith. His story is a reminder that in a world that kneels to pressure, it still takes one man standing on truth to start a revolution.
