Jonathan Isaac says new Judah 2 sneaker and its Bible verses underscore free expression after Charlie Kirk’s assassination

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is releasing his second signature sneaker, the Judah 2, which will feature six Bible verses, and he said the shoe’s message about faith and free expression has taken on heightened meaning following the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Isaac told Fox News Digital the shoe is intended as a visible expression of belief and an invitation to others who share those convictions. "It’s about free expression," he said. "It’s about I’m a Christian guy, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord and king of the world and lord and savior of my life, and I want to wear these shoes as a tribute to Him. And anybody who wants to do the same, join me."

The Judah 2 will reportedly include six verses placed more prominently than on Isaac’s first model, the Judah 1, which he said was "completely sold out." Isaac said he moved verses from the back of the shoe to the front and reworked the design to provide encouragement to wearers during competition.

One of the shoe variants, which he described as the Judah 2 Mighty Warrior, includes a verse referencing the angel’s words to Gideon, a passage Isaac said speaks to athletes stepping onto the court. "I’m stepping onto the court, I’m lacing my shoes," he said. "And right there on the tongue, I have a verse that says ‘I am a mighty warrior.’ And that encourages you to go out and play your best."

Isaac, who has been public about his Christian faith and holds conservative views on several issues, said his relationship with Kirk made the assassination personally affecting. He described Kirk as "a respectable man" and said the two had developed a friendship over time, appearing on Kirk’s podcast and exchanging text messages.

"It’s tough to put into words," Isaac said when asked about Kirk’s death. "Really the only thing that I can say is just to speak to who Charlie was. Everybody will talk about what Charlie has said and his stances and stuff like that – Charlie had my respect." He added that he and Kirk did not always agree but maintained civil discourse: "Maybe we agree to disagree, but I’m never the type to try to impose myself on anybody else."

Isaac said the sneaker’s design is intended to create a touchpoint for Christians and others who wish to display their faith publicly. "Let’s build this thing as a brand to unite Christians, lovers of God, lovers of country all across the nation, and give them a touchpoint to know each other, recognize each other, but also, to have their faith right in front of them," he said.

The Judah 2 follows Isaac’s debut model, which he said sold out, and represents a further effort to combine on-court performance elements with overt expressions of faith. Isaac described selecting verses that would be both personally meaningful and encouraging in competitive settings.

Isaac framed the release as part of a broader conversation about the role of public figures in expressing beliefs. He said he has tried to engage respectfully with those who disagree and that the shoe serves as a personal statement rather than an attempt to impose views on others. Details on the Judah 2’s release date, pricing and distribution were not provided in the interview.