AJ Griffin of the Rockets has declared his retirement from the NBA to in order to commit himself to Christian ministry, as verified by HollywoodUnlocked.com. “I gave up basketball to follow Jesus,” Griffin said. “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, you know, 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,” Griffin added. The 21-year-old, who was the No. 16 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and played for the Hawks before being traded to the Rockets, agreed to a contract buyout on September 20. Griffin expressed his excitement about serving God full-time, despite many perceiving his decision as a loss. He has averaged 7.5 points and 1.9 rebounds over his career, appearing in 72 games as a rookie and only 20 last season. Griffin, who became a Christian in 2020, received support from former teammate Dejounte Murray following his announcement. “Love YOU Always Bro!!!” Murray wrote. “Forever With You!!”
