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AJ Griffin Opens Up About His Decision to Step Away From Basketball at 21
AJ Griffin candidly discusses the personal challenges and tough decision to step away from basketball at just 21, shedding light on his mental and physical health journey. Read more.
AJ Griffin, the son of Milwaukee Bucks head coach and former NBA player Adrian Griffin, made the unexpected decision to retire from the NBA after just two seasons. His departure followed his reported release by the Houston Rockets through a contract buyout.
Rather than seeing his exit as a loss, Griffin viewed it as a new chapter focused on ministry. In an emotional video shared on his YouTube channel, he explained the personal reasons for leaving professional basketball.
"I’m not sure how long this video will be, but to keep it short: I gave up basketball to follow Jesus. It may seem like a loss from the world’s perspective, but I’m incredibly excited to fully serve God," Griffin stated.
"Stepping away from basketball has opened the door for me to enter full-time ministry, allowing me to serve the Lord with all my heart and time," he added.
Griffin entered the NBA with great expectations after being selected 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2022 NBA Draft. During his rookie season, he played 72 games, averaging 8.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists.
AJ Griffin suited up for Duke University during the 2021-2022 season, where he posted averages of 10.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and an impressive 44.7% from three-point range over 39 games. He earned recognition as an Honorable Mention All-ACC and was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team. After his freshman year, Griffin entered the NBA draft and was selected 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 2022. However, he retired from basketball in September 2024.
Despite showing potential early on, Griffin’s stint with the Hawks was brief. After just one season, the Hawks traded him to the Houston Rockets in exchange for the No. 43 overall pick, Nikola Durisic. Unfortunately, Griffin never took the court in any regular-season games for the Rockets.
Before his trade, Griffin had appeared in only 20 games during his second season with the Hawks, seeing his numbers drop to 2.4 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game.
Griffin signed a four-year, $17.1 million contract with the Hawks on July 3, 2022, which included an average annual salary of around $4.28 million, with $7.2 million guaranteed. Recently, he negotiated a $250,000 buyout with the Rockets, ending his third year of the contract as he faced retirement rumors.
In total, Griffin played 92 NBA regular-season games, all with the Hawks. The 21-year-old also participated in five Summer League games with the Rockets in Las Vegas.
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