By Gavin Boyle
NBA player Jonathan Isaac explained why he started his shoe brand that features a Bible verse on every product it launches — to help players connect their faith with their sport.
“It has ballooned into an entire brand centered around creating touch points for the believer to connect them to each other and to Christ,” Isaac said when describing his brand, UNITUS. “A big thing for us is the verses on the shoes are not necessarily about evangelism… They’re much more so about the person wearing them, and helping you create a touch point of reflection for yourself.”
“It’s really about what [Bible] verses make sense in helping me remember what it’s truly about — why am I doing what I’m doing? Why do I call myself a Christian? What does this all mean?” he continued. “And as many touch points as possible throughout the day, help me be mindful more.”
Isaac made waves in 2020 when he refused to kneel during the National Anthem amid the Black Lives Matter protests. Rather than believing that more divisiveness was the solution, Isaac knew that Americans needed more Christ in their lives.
Related: Jonathan Isaac Launches Basketball Shoe Line with Bible Verses: ‘Live Bold’
“I knew what I was standing for was dear to me,” Isaac explained. “I knew I believed that the Gospel was going to be the answer for the world, that all of us saying that we all fall short of God’s glory, and that if we’re throwing stones at anybody else — at a different color, at a different individual — we’re throwing stones from a glass house because we’ve done wrong too. We are all in need of grace.”
Building on the interest his stand created, Isaac launched UNITUS to allow others to stand for what they believe in. The Bible verses featured on the shoes include 2 Corinthians 4:9, Romans 8:37, Psalm 51:7 and Isaiah 9:6.
“UNITUS is desperately needed today because more and more brands in the sports and leisure wear space are abandoning the consumer’s desire for them to be impartial on matters of culture, spiritually, and politics,” Isaac said. “Many brands have overtly endorsed harmful and divisive ideologies that have left consumers looking for alternatives.”
As UNITUS brings faith front and center in the basketball world, Christianity has seen a revival across sports as a whole. More and more professional athletes are becoming bold about their faith and sharing how their lives have meaning because of God, rather than because of their accolades. This is, in turn, inspiring younger athletes to turn to faith, evermore growing the revival.
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