AJ Griffin announced that he is stepping away from basketball to pursue a calling in ministry. 

The former first-round NBA draft pick posted a seven-minute YouTube video on Tuesday (Sept. 29), explaining his decision “to follow Jesus” and what led to it. The video has amassed over 82,000 views to date.

"I gave up basketball to follow Jesus," he said. "And I know that in a lot of people's eyes, that seems like – it seems like a loss in the world's eyes. But I just want to let you guys know that I'm super-excited because I truly get to serve God, you know, with my full ‘yes,’ and 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, with all my time too, as well. So, I'm just excited to see where that leads me."

After a standout freshman season at Duke University in 2021, Griffin entered the NBA Draft. Still, he added that his life took a transformative turn when he “gave [his] life to Christ in 2020” and “truly accepted” religion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reflecting on his journey, Griffin shared, “He found me,” smiling as he recounted what followed. “I gave my life to Christ, and it was the best decision of my life; it truly was. I think my values started to change, my heart started to change.” As the son of former NBA coach and player Adrian Griffin, he admitted that basketball had been his entire world before this revelation. “That was the reason why I was living,” Griffin said, emphasizing that finding God led him to realize that his true passion lies in his faith.

“Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey. As I step out of one season of my life, I’m excited to step into a new one with my lord and savior,” the 21-year-old wrote in the video’s description. “This decision may seem crazy or abnormal to the world but I’m not here to please man but only my Father in Heaven. I’m looking forward to the plans God has for me up ahead, to share his good news of Salvation and a closer relationship with Jesus. Any questions regarding this video, let me know in the comment section. With that being said, I hope this video encourages others to take a leap of faith, with trusting in God and giving him your full yes in whatever that may look like to you.”