Amid optimism about his status from the past few days, Jonathan Isaac remains undetermined yet on when he’ll make a return to the hardwood.
As he continue to make key progress this Wednesday wherein he fully participated in the Orlando Magic’s practice ahead of their matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Isaac also made it known that he finally played his first five-on-five scrimmage for the first time with his teammates last Monday.
“Definitely a hurdle that was just like relief,” Isaac said, via Khobi Price of Orlando Sentinel. “As practice was coming to a close I’m just like ‘yes’. I took another step forward and want to keep doing that.”
Isaac hasn’t played yet competitive basketball for two seasons, as he sustained a brutal torn ACL injury in his left knee back in the 2020 NBA bubble. Since then, speculations have swirled if he will still be able to suit up again.
He deeply knows that the process has been grinding but can only be thankful for the positives that are happening.
“Definitely the days we play and go hard, there’s definitely that piece of being able to recuperate,” Isaac said. “I feel good and hopefully we get this thing rolling pretty soon.”
The Magic haven’t placed any timetable regarding his comeback, and neither is Isaac. The big man believes that he needs additional time to regain his old condition, but reiterates contentment with his current case.
“I’m going to say no,” Isaac when asked if there was a timeframe he was targeted. “I do feel really good. Hopefully, we hope this thing rolling really soon.
“Over the next few days, we’re going to continue to get the conditioning where it needs to be. In my mind, I feel really good about where I’m at.”
At the end of the day, Isaac is maintaining that gratefulness that he has been able to make advancements on his way to a much-anticipated return to playing again.
“Not just grateful to the Magic and the team, but just grateful to God,” Isaac said. “It has been a long road. It’s been grueling at times. If I didn’t have Him I don’t know if I to get to this moment. To have that peace and assurance that everything is going to be OK, my time is coming, feels good and that’s all because of Him.”
