You typed “How many ex-NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses?” into Google expecting a long list of hoopers gone holy. The confirmed number is three. Just three names check out: Darren Collison, Danny Granger, and Dewayne Dedmon.
The rest is internet gossip. And the reason half the planet is suddenly asking? It is due to a comedian. No, really.
- Confirmed and locked in: Collison, Granger, and Dedmon.
- Collison left the NBA at 31 and lost a fortune.
- Granger was raised in it, kept it private, and got baptized after he retired.
- Dedmon’s mom almost benched his whole career before it started.
- The web will hand you multiple names, but most of them are speculations.
A Comedian Added Fuel to the Fire
Blame stand-up. Fansided traced the whole frenzy to Brittany Schmitt, whose YouTube special has a now-infamous bit about a former NBA player who found religion after their split and then slid into her messages telling her to repent. (There are, um, other details in that bit we’ll leave alone.)
She never says his name. Her husband dared her to Google the number, betting it’d out the guy. Her verdict: only two. Naturally, armchair detectives look out for light skin tone here; a mystery cousin named Keith landed on a big fat nothing.
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1. Darren Collison
Collison’s the poster boy. Ten seasons split across the New Orleans Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, LA Clippers, and Sacramento Kings. He had about $43 million in the bank. And in 2019, at 31, with teams waving $10–12 million a year at him, he just… peaced out.
His goodbye letter to ESPN’s The Undefeated said it all: “While I still love basketball, I know there is something more important, which is my family and my faith. I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and my faith means everything to me. I receive so much joy from volunteering to help others and participating in a worldwide ministry. The joy I feel is unmatched. With that being said, I have decided to retire from the NBA.“
He did pop back for a 10-day Lakers stint in late 2021. Then he was out again. For good.
2. Danny Granger
Granger was the Pacers’ bucket-getter back in the day. An All-Star and Most Improved Player in 2009. Raised in the faith, he never mentioned it. He told the Indianapolis Star in 2008 that it kept him cool under fire:
“I have a great sense of serenity as a Jehovah’s Witness, and that peace carries over to the basketball court.”
Off the court, he did relief work in Haiti and championed mental health. Nine seasons, done in 2015, baptized in 2017.
3. Dewayne Dedmon
Dedmon’s mom, a devout Witness, straight-up forbade basketball, scared it’d yank him from the faith. So he didn’t play for real until his senior year of high school—practically ancient in NBA prospect years.
At 18, he sat her down and pleaded his case. Thank goodness. He went on to log time with the Magic, 76ers, Spurs, Thunder, Heat, and Hawks. “I can honestly say that my faith has helped me overcome many hardships in my life,” he told Business Insider.
“It has helped me maintain my composure and my attitude in the midst of difficult circumstances.”
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Other Players in Speculations
Essentially Sports swears there are “over 10”. Legit.ng’s rundown presents a whole yearbook, and while it’s a fun scroll, treat it like gas-station sushi.
A.C. Green, the Lakers’ legendary iron man (drafted 23rd in ’85, celibate until he wed in 2002), is a die-hard Christian—but Christian and Witness aren’t twins, and no receipts exist. Sam Perkins reportedly hung back during the anthem.
Detlef Schrempf, the German-born FIBA Hall of Famer, supposedly preached in the ’90s. Reggie Theus, the Bulls-to-Kings guard turned coach, has the same rumor. Wayman Tisdale, the Pacers-Suns-Kings forward and jazz bassist, died of cancer in 2009 at 44.
Dave Meyers, two-time NCAA champ at UCLA, quit early, refused surgery on faith grounds, and passed from cancer in 2015. Greg Ostertag caught flak for his beliefs during his Jazz days. Michael Adams? Nuggets and Bullets.
Then the whole thing face-plants on Mark Jackson. The guy’s an ordained pastor who runs his church, preaches in tongues, and does anointing services—the polar opposite of Witness worship. Hard no. Even Technology.org just shrugs and admits nobody has a real count.
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What is a Jehovah’s Witness?
A Christian group was founded in the U.S. in the 1870s. There is one God, Jehovah, and the whole Bible serves as the rulebook. They’re the door-knockers, but there’s more: no blood transfusions, no birthdays, no holidays, no politics, and no Trinity. To them, Jesus is God’s son, not God himself.
FAQs
How many ex-NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Ans: Three are confirmed: Collison, Granger, and Dedmon. The longer lists available online are based on rumor, not on real reporting.
Who quit the NBA to become a Jehovah’s Witness?
Ans: Darren Collison, who was 31 in 2019. He waved off a possible $10 million-plus contract for family and ministry.
Is Danny Granger a Jehovah’s Witness?
Ans: Yes, he was raised in it and baptized in 2017, two years after he retired in 2015.
Why did Dewayne Dedmon start hoops so late?
Ans: His mom’s faith kept him from sports growing up. He didn’t play seriously until his senior year of high school.
Are any current NBA players Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Ans: Nobody active has said so publicly. The faith’s private by nature, so some may keep it off the record.
Do Jehovah’s Witnesses turn down blood transfusions?
Ans: They do. They read the Bible as banning blood, so they opt for other treatments. It’s their most famous rule.
Sources & References:
- Legit – There are more speculations about several basketball players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses.
- Technology Org – Apart from 3, other players are just based on rumors.
- Fansided – Brittany Schmitt, a comedian whose YouTube special on a now-infamous bit about a former NBA player has gone viral.
- Essentially Sports – There are over 10, but they lack evidence to support this.
