Three months after his alternate from the Atlanta Hawks to Houston RocketsYounger ahead AJ Griffin has retired from the NBA to give attention to a profession in ministry, he introduced Sunday.
“I gave up basketball to comply with Jesus,” Griffin, now 21, stated in a video. posted on YouTube. “I really feel like giving up basketball permits me to enter full-time ministry and really serve the Lord with all my coronary heart. With all my time too. …I felt just like the Lord was calling me to surrender basketball and serve Him extra.
For Griffin, a Duke product who was drafted sixteenth total within the 2022 first spherical, the announcement marks the conclusion (at the least for now) of greater than two uncommon years in skilled basketball.
After an encouraging rookie season (2022-23) through which Griffin averaged 8.9 factors (39.0% on 3-pointers) for the Hawks in 19.5 minutes, he performed in simply 20 video games in NBA sophomore (simply 8.6 minutes per sport) whereas dealing with struggles on the courtroom and off-field tragedy. He missed a number of weeks for private causes.
In June, Houston acquired Griffin from Atlanta at minimal price as a type of restoration challenge. However he extensively fought with the Rockets within the 2024 summer season league, and he not too long ago reached a buyout settlement with the Rockets for what remained of his unique NBA contract.
Coaching camps for the 2024-25 season open this Tuesday, October 1, and Griffin’s retirement opens up a spot on the Rockets’ roster. Nonetheless, at the least for now, the group does not appear to have any speedy plans to fill him out.
Extra: Report: Rockets shocked by AJ Griffin’s sudden choice to stroll away from NBA
This text was initially revealed on Rockets Wire: AJ Griffin retires from Rockets and NBA to pursue ministry profession
