The past week saw the big news that AJ Griffin of the Atlanta Hawks, 16th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, is hanging up his sneakers at the young age of 21. This is not due to an injury or a crime. Griffin has willingly chosen to retire so he can pursue his desire to follow Jesus.
We would be the last people to criticize the decision, but it does open a lot of questions on people’s minds. Let’s dive into the deeper details of AJ Griffin’s choice to place his faith over basketball.
Shunning Away Riches and Fame
Not everyone can become an NBA player. Former NBA champion and “Inside the NBA” host Kenny Smith once said that it was easier to win the lottery than to make the NBA. There is a long list of talented college and international players whose lifelong dream was to make the NBA, but they never did (a situation too familiar for Filipinos) so giving it up at a young age, even before your career takes off, is truly mind-boggling.
For those who have been around the ministry, this situation may be nothing new. The church abounds with people who have shunned fame and fortune to dedicate themselves to their faith.
However, there is the question of whether AJ needed to retire at all. There are many active basketball players who use their platform of fame to spread the gospel. There is Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic. In our own PBA, there is Roger Raynn Pogoy.
Side note: Former Gilas player RR Pogoy recently graced the dedication ceremony of the CCF Sandoval basketball court in Pasig City. Pogoy and his TNT Tropang Giga teammate, Kim Aurin are active members of CCF Sandoval and have introduced the Gospel to hoop enthusiasts of all ages through their Sports Ministry.
The questions arose not because of his purpose, but whether he needed to take the “extreme” route.
Security and Love For the Game
Adrian Darnell Griffin, Jr. is the son of Adrian Griffin, former NBA journeyman and coach. This is the typical “daddy paved the way for his son” story, although Griffin was not just a “nepo baby” and is a good player on his own merits. But that places his decision in a different context.
The lure of financial security did not hold AJ back, because he was not a breadwinner or a ticket out of poverty like many NBA players. AJ had it all handed to him–he had the right genes, he grew up around the sport. He was a high school five-star recruit, and went to Duke University for his one-and-done season.
He had a relatively easier path, and some pundits point out that it might be one of the reasons. Basketball just came naturally for him, he did not have to go through challenges to reach success, which may all have come too much too soon. A similar case would be Kobe Paras, also that is not faith-related.
Kobe was the golden child of basketball, his father was the only Rookie-MVP in history. He was the more gifted, younger sibling (like AJ Griffin) and the entire country placed their expectations on him. Now, people are questioning, did Kobe Paras really love basketball, or was it just something he was expected to do? Is AJ Griffin facing a similar question?
Priorities and Borrowed Time
While we could speculate about other factors, we can also take AJ Griffin’s word. He really felt an urgency towards his purpose, and he was called in a different way. Yes, Jonathan Isaac and RR Pogoy can play and be beacons on the court, but AJ felt that he needed a different approach.
AJ recently went through family tragedies: his mother had publicly accused his father of domestic abuse. His nephew died in their home, and the mother of the child is going after them. Griffin did not have the usual financial or social struggles, but he had a rude awakening on how short life is. In a video he posted, AJ reiterated the urgency of fulfilling your life purpose. For him, it’s his faith. Basketball must step aside. Now.
