AJ Griffin is officially retiring from the Rockets, NBA to pursue a career in ministry

Three months after being traded from the Atlanta Hawks to the Houston Rockets, young forward AJ Griffin retired from the NBA to focus on a career in ministry, he announced Sunday.

“I gave up basketball to follow Jesus,” Griffin, now 21, said in a video posted to YouTube. “I feel like giving up basketball allows me to go into full-time ministry and truly serve the Lord with all my heart. Even with all my time. … I felt like the Lord was calling me to give up basketball and serve him more.”

For Griffin, a Duke product who was drafted 16th overall in the first round of 2022, the announcement marks the end (at least for now) of an unusual two-plus-year career in professional basketball.

After an encouraging rookie season (2022-23) in which Griffin averaged 8.9 points (39.0% on 3-pointers) in 19.5 minutes for the Hawks, he played as a sophomore in the NBA Only 20 games a year (with just 8.6 minutes per game). Dealing with on-field altercations and off-court tragedies. He missed several weeks for personal reasons.

In June, Houston acquired Griffin from Atlanta at minimal cost as a sort of redevelopment project. But he’s mostly struggled with the Rockets entering the summer league in 2024, and he recently reached a buyout agreement with the Rockets for what’s left of his original NBA contract.

Training camps for the 2024-25 season begin this Tuesday, October 1, and Griffin’s retirement opens up a roster spot for the Rockets. However, at least for now, the team appears to have no immediate plans to fill it.

More: Report: Rockets surprised by AJ Griffin’s sudden decision to retire from NBA

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: AJ Griffin retires from Rockets, NBA to pursue career in ministry