Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac, who stood for the national anthem while his other colleagues kneeled before a game in the bubble in 2020, reportedly agreed to a contract extension Tuesday.
Isaac and the Magic have agreed to a five-year, $84 million contract extension, ESPN reported. The forward will remain in Orlando through the 2028-29 season.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Jonathan Isaac has reportedly signed a five-year extension with the Orlando Magic. (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
The 26-year-old New York native played in 58 games during the 2023-24 season, his most since the 2018-19 season. He averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He earned votes for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.
However, Isaac caught the attention of the sports world when the NBA returned from the coronavirus pandemic and played games in a bubble environment. Amid a summer of racial unrest, many players decided to kneel during the national anthem to raise awareness about social injustice in the United States in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
Isaac decided to perform for the hymn “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
BRONNY JAMES SAYS HE DIDN'T HAVE 'MUCH OF A CHANCE' TO 'SHOW WHAT I CAN REALLY DO' AT USC
Orlando Magic No. 1 Jonathan Isaac stands during the national anthem before the game against the Brooklyn Nets on July 31, 2020 at The HP Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
“For me, the biggest highlight of my early NBA career was 2020. It was after the tragic death of George Floyd, and we were brought into the NBA ‘bubble,’ where there was a ton of pressure,” Isaac told OutKick contributor Riley Gaines on her “Gaines for Girls” podcast in October. “Not just in the bubble, but around the world with the rise of the Black Lives Matter organization and movement.”
“For me, it was just about offering another solution. I saw the problem. I saw what happened to George Floyd. And as I listened to the tone and the rhetoric of the Black Lives Matter organization and movement, I never really felt comfortable,” he added.
Isaac tore his ACL in the bubble and missed the remainder of the games. He spent the next two seasons on the bench recovering from the injury.
From left, Joe Ingles, Jonathan Isaac and Goga Bitadze listen to the national anthem before the start of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 22, 2024 in Cleveland. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
He played in just 11 games in the 2022-23 season before finally bouncing back last year.
Fox News' Joe Morgan contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage on X and subscribe to The Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
