(RNS) — Jonathan Isaac, the 6-foot, 10-inch forward and a 2017 first-round pick for the Orlando Magic, scored a new kind of fame last week: His sneaker — the first product of his Christian apparel brand, Unitus — was unveiled in an exhibit at the Museum of the Bible in Washington.
The shoe, signed by Isaac, refers to a verse from the Bible’s Book of Proverbs, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
The shoe is known as the Judah 1, an apparent reference to the Lion of Judah, a biblical theme that first appears in the Book of Genesis. Isaac’s sneaker is imprinted with the shape of a lion’s mane, and its sole features a lion and a pair of crossed keys. The verse, the first in Proverbs chapter 28, is one Isaac said he has turned to in times when he has struggled with anxiety.
In brief remarks at the Aug. 19 ceremony attended by Isaac’s family and supporters, Isaac said, “There were moments in my life where I placed ultimate value on what was ultimately valueless, while not focused on what was truly valuable, which was my relationship with Christ. … And when I look at this moment to me, it’s like, this is my MVP, this is my hall of fame. Only what you do for Christ will last.”
Isaac devised the sneaker soon after founding Unitus (pronounced unite-us) in 2023 with Bishop Durone Hepburn, pastor of Isaac’s church in Orlando, Florida. According to the brand’s website, the company is “a Christian footwear and apparel brand designed to help believers stay connected to Christ.” The company’s clothing line launched earlier this year.
Orlando Magic basketball player Jonathan Isaac views an exhibit featuring his shoe, the Unitus Judah 1, at the Museum of the Bible on Aug. 19, 2025, in Washington. (Photo courtesy Museum of the Bible)
In 2020, Isaac, who is Black, chose to remain standing, wearing his uniform shirt, during the playing of the national anthem at the start of a game as his fellow Magic players knelt and wore “Black Lives Matter” shirts.
During the ceremony, Isaac explained his thinking at that moment to Matthius Walther, the museum’s chief marketing officer. “That moment was really just this little scared boy that is trying his best to do what he feels like God was calling him to do and to, at the same time, not step on or hurt anybody else’s feelings in the process,” Isaac said.
While NBA players have been known to inscribe their gear with handwritten Scripture verses, the exhibit case describes Isaac’s Judah 1 shoe line as “the first NBA shoe to be worn with Scripture manufactured visibly on it.” Nearby is a photo of Isaac playing in a 2024 game against the Golden State Warriors.
Isaac’s basketball shoe is part of the museum’s “Impact of the Bible” exhibit at the museum, which highlights how Scriptures have influenced cultures across the globe — from education and literature to art and architecture. It has featured a Bible owned by Elvis Presley and mannequins adorned with dresses by fashion designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, who have included icons of Mary in their luxury brand.
