Jonathan “Judah” Isaac is unique in that he’s a legit 7-footer who can handle the ball fairly well for his size and has developed himself into a respectable three-point shooter primarily from the corners (40.9%). He can also post up and hit the fadeaway jumper over the top of defenders. The fact he’s a career 80.5% free-throw shooter is very encouraging. The skillset is certainly there for J.I. to become a highly productive offensive weapon. With that being said he is still inconsistent on that end of the floor, and much of that can be attributed to the fact that he is a very unselfish player and also head coach Steve Clifford does not call very many plays for him. Let’s make no mistake about it, Isaac probably will never have a season where he averages 20 ppg such as players the likes of Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo whom he physically compares to. However, his swiss army knife type of tools should allow him to fill up stat sheets on a nightly basis. Already this season, Isaac has come close to delivering a 5x5x5x5x5 game in which he registers at least 5 points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. If he could just have a little bit more ego inside of him, there’s no telling how great of an overall player he could be.
With a 7’1” wingspan combined with exceptional lateral quickness, defensive instincts, and added strength, Isaac possesses everything one needs to become an elite defensive player. In such a short time in the league thus far, he reads the game so well and can anticipate and disrupt teams’ offensive sets. The versatility he brings to the floor will ultimately allow him to guard all five positions. That’s how special he is. Sure, Isaac is not without faults on the defensive end. He still lacks the occasional discipline to stay down on defenders when they pump fake and can get caught lagging chasing players around screens on the perimeter. But ultimately with time, he should have few weaknesses on that end of the floor.
