As I watched Issac’s interview on the news, I couldn’t help but feel inspired and motivated by his story, and his response to all of the trials and tribulations that have come upon him since being drafted by the Magic in 2017.
On my recent trip to Orlando, I saw a story on Orlando’s Spectrum 13 News about Orlando Magic power forward Johnathan Issac. I don’t usually follow basketball; it’s not that I have anything against it, but I just never really got into it.
For background, Johnathan Issac is currently the longest tenured player on the Orlando Magic roster. The Magic drafted him out of Florida State in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft. Early in his career, his potential to be a big star in the league was on full display. In the 2019-2020 season, he averaged per-game stats of 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks—truly remarkable numbers for a young player at the top level.
Photo courtesy Boston Globe
Then things took a turn. Issac suffered a posterior lateral corner injury and a medial bone contusion in his left knee on New Year’s Day 2020. Then, in August 2020, he suffered a torn ACL and missed the 2020-2021 season. That wasn’t the end of it, either. In March 2022, Orlando Magic team president Jeff Weltman announced that Issac would miss the remainder of that season as well.
On January 23, 2023, Issac returned to the hardwood for the first time in over two years for a game against the Boston Celtics, and put up 10 points, three rebounds, and two steals in just nine minutes of play. He was back! Well, not. Issac began to have discomfort in the previously injured leg, and an MRI showed a torn left adductor muscle, which forced him to undergo another season-ending surgery.
After that, things have finally started to turn around for Issac. Last season he played in 71 games, and is looking to make all 82 games this year. During his interview with Spectrum 13, he was asked about his health, his recovery from injuries, and his impressions of the Magic’s performance in the current NBA season.
Johnathan Issac: I’d say the biggest way is just through Christ — using my relationship with him as a basis of who I am. My identity — that’s not found in basketball but found in Him — helps me kind of skate above circumstances. But at the same time, I’m human, and I’ve been through depression. I’ve been through the ups and downs of ‘why is this happening?’ But I’m still here. I’m still standing. I’m grateful to Him for that and keep moving forward.
Johnathan Issac has been through a lot during his time with the Orlando Magic. In a situation where he had every reason to feel sorry for himself, he chose to focus on things above and adopt a positive outlook. He has not let circumstances define him or stop him from pursuing success in the NBA.
That response and attitude make him and his story truly inspirational. Lesson learned: It doesn’t matter what you’re going through; there is always a reason to choose hope.
