"Gave up basketball to follow Jesus"- 21-year-old AJ Griffin explains decision to call time on young basketball career

AJ Griffin shocked the NBA world when it was reported that he plans on stepping away from basketball at age 21. Over the weekend, the former first-round pick explained why he made this major life decision.

When it was initially reported that Griffin plans on stepping away, the reports never went into deep detail. However, he recently posted a video on his YouTube channel to explain his decision.

AJ Griffin started off by saying that he has no idea how long this hiatus is going to last.

"[0:19] To break it all down in a short summary," Griffin said. "I gave up basketball to follow Jesus.

"I feel like letting go of basketball has allowed me to go into full-time ministry and truly serving the lord with all my heart."

Griffin was traded from the Atlanta Hawks to the Houston Rockets this summer, but he will not be suiting up for the franchise. Shortly after the news came out that he was thinking about stepping away, the two sides agreed to terms on a buyout.

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Breaking down AJ Griffin's brief NBA career

After a successful freshman season at Duke, AJ Griffin entered his name in the 2022 NBA draft. He'd end up hearing his name called in the first round, as the Atlanta Hawks selected him with the 16th overall pick.

As a 6-foot-6 forward who is capable of spacing the floor, Griffin's game was built for the modern NBA. He carved out a role in Atlanta from the start, playing in 72 games as a rookie. Getting roughly 20 minutes of action a game, he averaged 8.9 points and 2.1 rebounds while shooting 39.0% from beyond the arc.

AJ Griffin showed a lot of promise in Year 1, but things didn't go according to plan in his second season. After battling numerous injuries over the year, he played just 20 games. Not only did his playing time take a big dip but his production fell as well. Griffin averaged just 2.4 points in 2024 and shot a measly 25.6% from deep.

Following this lackluster season, the Hawks decided to part ways with Griffin and traded him to the Houston Rockets as part of a multi-team deal that also involved the Miami Heat.

In total, Griffin played in only 92 total games in the NBA. If this is the end for him, his best outings were a pair of 24-point outbursts against the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets during his rookie year.