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2022 NBA 1st-Round Pick AJ Griffin REVEALS Why He Left Basketball in His Official Retirement Announcement
Former Duke star AJ Griffin finally opened up why he retired from basketball at 21. Read more here.
Former Duke standout AJ Griffin has made the surprising decision to retire from basketball at the young age of 21. The 6-foot-6 forward, once a highly touted five-star recruit, announced his retirement through a heartfelt video on his YouTube channel, citing his desire to prioritize his faith journey over his basketball career.
Griffin expressed that he felt compelled to step away from the game to fully commit himself to serving the Lord in ministry, emphasizing that life is about fulfilling God-given purposes rather than worldly achievements.
After agreeing to a contract buyout with the Houston Rockets, Griffin's retirement marks the end of his brief but promising basketball career. His trajectory from a standout freshman season at Duke to a mixed sophomore year with the Hawks to an unexpected trade to Houston culminated in his decision to leave the sport behind.
Despite the contract buyout, the unexpected retirement announcement came as a surprise to many, especially given his young age of 21. In his official retirement announcement shared via YouTube, AJ Griffin candidly revealed his heartfelt reason for leaving basketball behind. Choosing to follow his faith, Griffin expressed that he was walking away from the game to dedicate himself to full-time ministry and serving God wholeheartedly.
“I gave up basketball to follow Jesus, and I know that in a lot of people's eyes, it seems like a loss in the world's eyes... 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... I thought that [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. We're all made with a purpose, a God-given purpose,” Griffin said in his official retirement announcement.
Despite showing flashes of potential as a rookie, injuries and other circumstances limited Griffin's impact in his second season, leading to his eventual departure from the NBA. With 92 NBA appearances under his belt and career averages of 7.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per game, Griffin leaves behind a professional basketball career that held both promise and challenges.
The promising young talent who burst onto the NBA scene as the 16th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft shocked his fans when news of him stepping away from the game circulated. After a rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks that showcased his potential with solid averages of 8.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game, Griffin's career took a downturn as he struggled and only played in 20 games before being traded to the Houston Rockets.
In the video, he acknowledged that while some may view his decision as a loss in worldly terms, he found peace in the belief that his purpose was to glorify God. This shift in perspective was a profound realization for Griffin, who once believed basketball was the defining aspect of his existence.
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