*AJ Griffin is taking the saying “let go and let God to heart as he trades his career in the NBA for a new path “to follow Jesus.” Taking to social media, the former first-round draft pick made his choice known to become a minister.
“I gave up basketball to follow Jesus,” Griffin said in a seven-minute video he posted on Sept. 29. “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.”
The clip marks a noticeable shift for Griffin professionally. Chronicling his professional journey, People noted the athlete entered the NBA Draft after a standout freshman season at Duke University in 2021. From there, Griffin, came to the pros when the Atlanta Hawks selected him as the 16th pick in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
After his recent trade from Atlanta to the Houston Rockets, CBS Sports mentioned the former Blue Devil struggled during the NBA’s summer league season.
Earlier this month, The Houston Chronicle reported that Griffin’s stint with the Rockets ended when his contract was bought out by the team for $250,000.
Prior to embarking on his new path, the sportsman turned holy servant admitted he “gave [his] life to Christ in 2020” and “truly accepted” religion during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This decision may seem crazy or abnormal to the world but I’m not here to please man but only my Father in Heaven,” Griffin wrote in the video’s description, explaining his decision and what brought him to this moment.
Smiling while mentioning what happened next, Griffin was unashamed in stating, “He found me. 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.”
Griffin’s new mind state is a far cry from when basketball dominated his life before 2020, the year he discovered religion. As the son of former NBA coach and player Adrian Griffin, the sport was in his blood “
That was the reason why I was living,” Griffin shared, acknowledging that religion became his passion when he found God.
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Nowadays, in recent years, the basketball fixture can be found reading from the Bible and discussing religion on his social media platforms as well as sharing motivational religious advice.
“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 announcement video, adding, “I want to reach people more through my platforms. I think that sums up my testimony of why I left basketball.”
“Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey,” he wrote in his video’s description. “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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