A former first-round NBA draft decide is leaving basketball to turn out to be a minister.
AJ Griffin, who was chosen by the Atlanta Hawks because the sixteenth decide within the first spherical of the 2022 NBA Draft, introduced in a video on Sunday that he’s leaving the game behind “to comply with Jesus.”
“I gave up basketball to comply with Jesus,” Griffin mentioned. “And I do know that in lots of people’s eyes, that looks as if – it looks as if a loss on the planet’s eyes. However I simply wish to allow you to guys know that I am super-excited as a result of I actually get to serve God, you recognize, with my full ‘sure,’ and I really feel like letting go of basketball is permitting me to enter full-time ministry and actually serving the Lord with all my coronary heart, with all my time too, as nicely. So, I am simply excited to see the place that leads me.”
Griffin used his seven-minute video to elucidate his resolution and what led to it.
“This resolution could seem loopy or irregular to the world however I’m not right here to please man however solely my Father in Heaven,” he wrote within the video’s description.
Griffin, who entered the NBA Draft after a standout freshman season at Duke College in 2021, says he “gave [his] life to Christ in 2020” and “actually accepted” faith throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He discovered me,” Griffin smiled as he defined what occurred subsequent. “I gave my life to Christ and it was the perfect resolution of my life, it actually was. I feel my values began to vary, my coronary heart began to vary.”
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Griffin, the son of former NBA coach and participant Adrian Griffin, mentioned basketball was his complete life previous to discovering faith in 2020. “That was the explanation why I used to be dwelling,” Griffin mentioned, and famous that when he discovered God, he realized his ardour was faith.
Lately, the basketball star has used his social media platforms to learn from the Bible, talk about faith and share motivational non secular recommendation.
“You’ll be able to see how I simply love spreading the excellent news of the gospel as a result of I understand how a lot it’s modified my life,” Griffin mentioned in his announcement video, and added, “I wish to attain folks extra by means of my platforms. I feel that sums up my testimony of why I left basketball.”
Griffin was just lately traded from Atlanta to the Houston Rockets, the place he struggled throughout the NBA’s summer season league season, according to CBS Sports. The Houston Chronicle reported earlier this month that the Rockets purchased out Griffin’s contract for $250,000, ending his temporary tenure with the group.
Now, it seems, Griffin is shifting on from basketball all collectively.
“Thanks to everybody who has been part of this journey,” Griffin wrote in his video’s description. “As I step out of 1 season of my life, I’m excited to step into a brand new one with my lord and savior.”