Orlando Magic PF Jonathan Isaac 'Special,' Says Jamahl Mosley

Although Jonathan Isaac's career has not been exactly what he would have expected, he is starting to turn it around and be the great player the Orlando Magic knows he can be.

When the Orlando Magic selected Jonathan Isaac out of Florida State with the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, he was expected to be one of the best defensive prospects the NBA had seen in a long time.

But in the NBA Bubble, Isaac suffered a torn ACL that sidelined him for a significant amount of time. He was out from August 2020 all the way until January 2023. He returned for a handful of games, and then had surgery on a torn left abductor muscle that caused him to miss the rest of last season.

Even in the early stages of this season, Isaac has already dealt with a hamstring injury, but he returned quickly and had a solid performance against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. Head coach Jamahl Mosley spoke more about the impact that Isaac brings in his postgame interview.

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) coming back in full force could be one of the keys going forward for the team :: Kim Klement/USA Today Sports

"I think his defensive ability is special... and we've seen it over and over again," Mosley said. "His ability to guard multiple positions, to protect the rim and protect the paint, he just does a great job talking out there. And now he's knocking down some shots, getting to the free throw line, he's crashing, he's slashing to the basket. All of those little pieces are keys to help us continue to get better."

In the team's close loss to the Hawks, Isaac racked up 12 points and seven rebounds in just 16 minutes of play coming off the bench. He also contributed two blocks on the defensive side, tied with center Goga Bitadze for the most on the team in the game.

Isaac finding his stride could be a key for the Magic going forward this season, as he can be a difference-maker on both sides of the court. He and the rest of the Magic will be back in action on Saturday against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET from the Amway Center.