Former First Round Pick Announces NBA Retirement

AJ Griffin announced why he elected to retire from the NBA.

Apr 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward AJ Griffin (14) warms up before a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images

The NBA season is right around the corner and former Atlanta Hawks first-round pick AJ Griffin has announced his retirement from the league. The 21-year-old forward was the No. 16 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Duke.

Griffin was traded to the Houston Rockets this offseason before announcing he would step away from the game. While the Athletic's Shams Charania was the first to report this possibility, Griffin opened up on a Youtube video on his personal channel to discuss his decision.

"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 a Youtube Video on his channel.

This is a decision that caught many in the NBA world off guard but a respectable one as Griffin continues to explain the move. The forward finishes his career with 92 games played, averaging 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.7 stocks per game while shooting 44 percent from the floor, 37 percent from beyond the arc and 89 percent at the charity stripe.

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