A.J. Griffin, forward for the Houston Rockets, has given up basketball after just two seasons in the NBA to do something he deems far greater.

“I gave up basketball to follow Jesus,” the New York native and former Duke University student said in a brief YouTube video to his fans on Sept 29. 

“I know that, in a lot of people’s eyes … it seems like a loss,” he said. “But, I just want to let you guys know that I’m super excited because I truly get to serve God 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 decision comes three months after his trade from the Atlanta Hawks to the Houston Rockets, in June. Houston had acquired Griffin, 21, from Atlanta for a second-round pick, according to ESPN. Griffin, the No. 16 pick in 2022 out of Duke, averaged 7.5 points in 92 career games for the Hawks, ESPN said. 

To explain his decision about giving up basketball, Griffin takes his YouTube viewers back four years. 

“This really has to start off with me giving my life to Christ in 2020,” he said. “I truly accepted Him back then. … And it was the best decision of my life.”

Basketball had been everything to him, he said. “I think that was the reason why I was living.” But when he came to Christ, his identity changed, and over the next few years, as he grew in his faith, he began to share Scripture verses and short insights on his social media platforms. 

“I just love spreading the good news of the Gospel, because I know how much it’s changed my life,” he said, “just through the trials and tribulations I go through … God, He’s fighting for me, and I know the only way that I’m able to overcome is because of His Spirit … I just want to continue to keep sharing the good news of the Gospel to as many people as I can.” 

His brief NBA career has added to his spiritual perspective.

“I‘m truly blessed to have that journey,” he said, “to have that testimony of saying that you can have all the riches in the world, but the only thing that truly matters is a relationship with Jesus. That’s what I want to share with you guys today, to let you know that Jesus, He is the only One that can fulfill you. He’s the only One that can give you purpose, and I feel like the Lord was calling me to let go of basketball to truly just serve Him more.”

Griffin’s been vocal about his Christianity long before his decision to retire from basketball, according to reports on basketballnews.com 

Marty Jean-Louis / Alamy Live News