Former NBA First-Round Pick Says He’s Leaving Basketball ‘To Follow Jesus'

A former first-round NBA draft pick says he's leaving the sport to become a minister.

On Sunday (September 29), AJ Griffin , who was selected 16th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, announced that he was quitting basketball "to follow Jesus."

"I gave up basketball to follow Jesus," Griffin said in a video posted on social media. "And I know that in a lot of people's eyes, that seems like – it seems like a loss in the world's eyes. But I just want to let you guys know that I'm super-excited because I truly get to serve God, you know, with my full ‘yes,’ and I feel like letting go of basketball is allowing me to go into full-time ministry and truly serving the Lord with all my heart, with all my time too, as well. So, I'm just excited to see where that leads me."

In his seven-minute video, Griffin, who declared for the draft after a standout freshman season at Duke University, explained he “gave [his] life to Christ in 2020” and “truly accepted” religion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“He found me,” Griffin said. “I gave my life to Christ and it was the best decision of my life, it truly was. I think my values started to change, my heart started to change.”

The NBA player said basketball was "the reason why I was living" before he discovered religion in 2020. Griffin has used his platform over the past several years to share Bible verses and discuss religion.

“You can see how I just love spreading the good news of the gospel because I know how much it’s changed my life,” Griffin said in his video. “I want to reach people more through my platforms. I think that sums up my testimony of why I left basketball.”

Griffin, who is the son of former NBA coach and player Adrian Griffin , was recently traded from the Hawks to the Houston Rockets. Following the NBA's summer league, the Rockets bought out Griffin's contract earlier this month for $250,000, ending his time with the team.

“Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey,” Griffin captioned his announcement video. “As I step out of one season of my life, I’m excited to step into a new one with my lord and savior.”

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