Today, I am going to discuss how many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses. So, let us get started!!!!
Religion and spirituality have always been a crucial part of the sports world. From praying in the locker room and on the field to visiting church every Sunday, many athletes believe religion gives them the strength and confidence to outperform themselves in the game.
NBA is no different, it has seen deeply devoted and religious players from all faiths. Being NBA the most dominant faith has been Christianity and we have seen some current and ex NBA players who are Muslim. But do you know how many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
With over 8.6 million adherents Jehovah’s Witnesses is not a small religion and there are bound to be a few current and ex NBA players who adhere to the religion, and if you are interested in this kind of information, we are going to answer it for you.
Who are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
For those of you who don’t know, Jehovah’s Witnesses are a denomination of Christianity known for their strong evangelist beliefs and follow a strict doctrine that differs slightly from mainstream Christianity. Most of its adherents are in the USA and as such many ex NBA players and other athletes follow the religion.
So exactly how many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
This question is very difficult to answer as religion is often a private matter for most people, and this also includes ex NBA players, but what we can do know that there are many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses and we are going to look at some of the famous ones.
Famous ex NBA players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses
There are quite a few names in this list but we are going to focus on the following players.
- Danny Granger
Danny Granger is an all-star player who was part of the NBA for 10 seasons. A New Orleans native he played for the University of New Mexico before joining the Indiana Pacers in 2005 NBA as the overall 17th pick.
He also had short stints with Miami Heat and LA Clippers and played a total of 586 games. Danny was brought up in a very religious household of Jehovah’s Witnesses. But he wasn’t baptized until 2017, two years after leaving the NBA.
- Darren Collison
Next on the list of ex NBA players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, we have Darren Collison. Before joining the NBA, Collison played for UCLA and then became the 21st overall draft pick for the New Orleans Hornets.
He started his NBA career in 2009 and played for 10 seasons as a point guard. During this time, he was also part of the Indiana Pacers and even played 3 games for the LA Lakers. He was quoted as saying that his family and faith are even more important than basketball.
- Dewayne Dedmon
Then we have Dewayne Dedmon, another very famous ex NBA player who is part of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He played some college ball for USC before joining the NBA as a 7-foot center forward. He wasn’t picked in the 2013 draft but later joined the Golden State Warriors.
While he does not have an illustrious career as our previous two players, he has still played for the likes of Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks. During all this time he has been deeply devoted to his religion and used it as a source of strength.
- Dave Meyers
Dave Meyers is another ex NBA player for whom we have to go back a bit as his NBA career spans from 1975 to 1980. It was a short career but an exciting one nonetheless. Before joining the NBA, he played for UCLA and even won the NCAA championship with them.
Later he became the 2nd overall pick for none other than LA Lakers and later on joined the Milwaukee Bucks. But he had to retire after only 5 years of playtime due to injuries. He remained true to his religion till his death from cancer in 2015.
- Reggie Theus
Last we have Reggie Theus, who is not only an ex NBA player but also an NBA coach. Before becoming a coach, he played for the University of Nevada and was later drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1978 as the 9th overall pick.
He has also played for Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings to name a few. The two-time all-star has also been a coach of Sacramento Kings and has credited his religion to be a huge part of his career, both as a player and as a coach.
Why is religion important for players?
Now that we have answered the question of how many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses. We should also ask why religion is important for athletes and what it means for them, both as players and individuals.
Religion can be a source of guidance not just for ex NBA players but for all of us. But when it comes to athletes it acts as a support system. It keeps them humble and motivated knowing that God is watching over them and gives a purpose and meaning to their lives.
Conclusion
We may not have been able to find out exactly how many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses, but we were able to look at the lives are careers of some of the famous ones. We saw how their love of faith and family went hand in hand with their dedication to the game of Basketball.
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