Imagine walking away from twelve million dollars. Not because you’re injured or old, but because you just... want to. That’s basically what happened with Darren Collison in 2019. He was 31, a top-tier point guard, and heading into a free agency where teams were ready to back up the Brinks truck. Then, he just stopped. He retired to focus on his faith as one of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
It’s rare. In a league defined by "the grind," personal branding, and chasing rings, seeing a player prioritize a door-to-door ministry over a starting spot in the backcourt is wild. But Collison isn't the only one. There’s a small, dedicated group of NBA players that are Jehovah's Witnesses, and their stories usually involve a pretty intense tug-of-war between the hardwood and the Kingdom Hall.
The Shocking Retirement of Darren Collison
Collison’s exit was the one that really put this topic on the map for casual fans. He wrote this letter for The Undefeated explaining that while he still loved the game, he’d found something that brought him more joy: his family and his faith.
Think about that for a second.
Most guys in the league are trying to extend their careers as long as humanly possible. They’re doing TB12 diets and cryotherapy just to get one more vet-minimum contract. Collison did the opposite. He was coming off a season where he led the league in three-point percentage (the year prior) and was still a high-level starter for the Indiana Pacers. He literally chose volunteering and ministry over $10–$12 million a year.
He did eventually make a very brief comeback with the Lakers on a 10-day contract in 2021, but it felt more like a "cameo" than a career restart. His heart was clearly elsewhere.
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Danny Granger and the Roots of Faith
Then you’ve got Danny Granger. If you followed the NBA in the late 2000s, you know Granger was a monster. He was the 2009 Most Improved Player and an All-Star who could give you 25 points a night in his sleep.
Granger was raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He’s been pretty vocal about how that upbringing kept him grounded. No cursing. No "wild" lifestyle. He creditied the religion for teaching him respect and helping him "evolve into a man" in a world—pro sports—that usually does the opposite.
Interestingly, while Granger was a Witness during his playing days, he wasn't always as "active" in the ministry as someone like Collison became later. However, after injuries basically forced him out of the league, he leaned back into his roots. If you check his social media or follow his post-career moves, he’s heavily involved in the faith now. He even has the jw.org link in his bio. It’s a full-circle moment for him.
Dewayne Dedmon’s Literal "Leap of Faith"
The story of Dewayne Dedmon is probably the most "movie-script" of the bunch. Most NBA players start training when they’re five years old. Dedmon didn't play organized basketball until he was 18.
Why? Because his mother was a devout Jehovah’s Witness and she was worried that the culture of sports—the travel, the fame, the "worldly" influence—would ruin his religious devotion.
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- He grew to 6'8" while just playing pickup.
- His mom strictly forbid him from joining high school teams.
- The moment he turned 18 (legal age of majority), he decided to follow his own path and start playing.
It’s actually incredible that he made the NBA at all given that late start. He had to learn the fundamentals of the game while his body was already fully grown. He eventually carved out a very respectable career as a journeyman big man for teams like the Spurs, Hawks, and Heat. He’s a guy who had to balance a very personal conflict between family expectations and his undeniable 7-foot stature.
Other Notable Names and Myths
You’ll often see other names popped into this conversation, though the details can get a bit blurry.
Dave Meyers is a name the real old-school fans might remember. He was part of the legendary UCLA dynasty and played for the Milwaukee Bucks. In 1980, at the height of his career, he walked away from a million-dollar contract to spend more time with his family and pursue his faith as a Witness. He’s sort of the "Original Darren Collison."
There are also rumors about guys like Theo Ratliff or Metta Sandiford-Artest (formerly Ron Artest) exploring the faith or attending meetings. Artest actually mentioned attending Kingdom Hall meetings back in 2011 to help with his mental health and find some peace. Whether they are "baptized" members is a different story—the religion has very strict requirements for that—but the influence is definitely there in the NBA circle.
Why This Matters in the Modern NBA
Being a Witness in the NBA isn't easy. Think about the logistics.
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- The National Anthem: Witnesses don't salute flags or sing anthems because they view it as an act of worship toward a government rather than God. This can cause a massive PR headache in a league that is very "USA-centric."
- Holidays/Birthdays: They don't celebrate them. Imagine being on a team where the "birthday plane ride" or the Christmas Day game is a huge cultural staple. You're the odd man out.
- The Travel: The NBA schedule is a nightmare for someone trying to attend regular "meetings" or participate in weekend ministry.
Honestly, it’s a miracle any of these guys make it work. It takes a specific kind of mental toughness to be "in" the NBA world but not "of" it.
What We Can Learn from These Players
Whether you’re religious or not, there’s something objectively fascinating about someone who can look at a life of extreme wealth and say, "Nah, I'm good."
Most of us think we'd never turn down millions of dollars. But for these players, the NBA was just a job. A high-paying, cool job, sure—but not their identity. When the job started to interfere with what they believed was their life's actual purpose, they punched the clock and left.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Researchers:
- Respect the "Why": If you see a player like Collison retire early, look deeper than "he’s crazy." Usually, there’s a value system at play that we don't see on the stat sheet.
- Check the Facts: Don't assume every player who mentions "God" is a Witness. The denomination has very specific practices (like the no-blood-transfusion rule or the door-to-door work) that distinguish them from other Christians in the league.
- Watch the Post-Career Moves: Often, the "active" faith starts after the jersey is retired. If you're following a player's journey, the transition period between their final game and their next chapter is where the real story happens.
The league is full of diverse backgrounds, but the NBA players that are Jehovah's Witnesses represent a unique brand of conviction. They remind us that for some, the loudest cheers in the arena aren't nearly as important as the quietest moments of faith.