US National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player A.J. Griffin has announced he is retiring from basketball to pursue Christian ministry.
The 21-year-old has only played two seasons in the division, but told fans on YouTube that letting go of basketball is allowing him ‘to go into full-time ministry and truly serve the Lord with all my heart, and with all my time too.’ Griffin said that although it ‘may seem like a loss in the world’s eyes,’ he is ‘super excited because I truly get to serve God with my full yes.’
Griffin followed his father into basketball, having grown up watching him play for ten seasons before becoming a coach. He had a strong high school career and spent his two years in the NBA playing for the Atlanta Hawks following an excellent college season playing for Duke.
Griffin describes his decision to become a Christian in 2020 as the best of his life, and discussed how his worldview changed in his video: ‘I thought [basketball] was the reason why I was living. But when I came to God, he truly showed me that we’re all made to glorify God. When you come to Christ, your identity is in Christ.’
‘You can have all the riches in the world, but the only thing that truly matters is your relationship with Jesus,’ he said. ‘He’s the only one that can fulfill you. He’s the only one that can give you a purpose.’
The American revealed that he intends to spread the gospel more on his social media channels, and he is excited to see how things progress.
