The Observe has taken on a brand new which means.
A.J. Griffin, the sixteenth general decide from the 2022 NBA Draft, is now on the trail in direction of ministry.
“I gave up basketball to comply with Jesus,” Griffin stated in a video posted to his YouTube channel on Sunday. “I do know that, in lots of people’s eyes, that looks as if a loss … I’m tremendous excited as a result of I actually get to serve God.”
The son of Adrian Griffin — the veteran NBA participant and short-tenured head coach of the Bucks — Griffin Jr. is stepping away from basketball after two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks.
As had beforehand been reported, the 21-year-old was severely contemplating retirement, citing undisclosed private and family-related causes.
That information got here in mid-September, three months after the three-team commerce that had despatched Griffin from Atlanta to Houston.
On Sept. 20, the Rockets introduced they had been formally shopping for out Griffin’s contract for a reported $250,000— a fraction of the practically $10 million the ahead was set to earn over the ultimate two years on his rookie contract.
“I really feel like letting go of basketball is permitting me to, , go into full-time ministry and really serving the Lord with all my coronary heart. With all my time too,” Griffin stated within the YouTube video.
The Duke alumnus appeared like he might grow to be an efficient position participant in Atlanta, showing in 72 video games and averaging 8.9 factors throughout his rookie marketing campaign.
Griffin’s 39% clip from past the arc was the second-highest amongst these chosen in 2022, trailing solely Sacramento’s Keegan Murray at 41.1%
That was pretty much as good as it could get for Griffin on the courtroom. Throughout his age 20 season, he missed time initially of the season for private causes and was unable to crack the rotation upon returning.
Griffin appeared in solely 20 video games and his averages fell— 2.4 factors in 8.6 minutes per recreation, and a extra earthly .256 from 3.
With NBA coaching camps opening tomorrow, Oct. 1, Griffin’s resolution leaves the Rockets’ in a little bit of a spot.
In accordance with The Athletic, the franchise didn’t anticipate its current acquisition’s early retirement, and it has no plans to fill his roster spot.
Possibly the Hawks ought to have watched a few of his different YouTube movies: “What’s God telling you to let go of?” Griffin asks in a video posted Nov. 2023.
