Professional Sports and Religion have much interest among professional athletes and their supporters. For some professional athletes, their relationship with God is a private one. Others, however, publicly state that their relationship with God is an important aspect of their lives. There have been former NBA players who have embraced Jehovah’s Witnesses; they have allowed their beliefs to guide them in their personal and professional lives.
In this article, we will examine the stories of former NBA players who were Jehovah’s Witnesses and how they combined their religious beliefs with their careers, including those who left the NBA to devote themselves to their faith.
What Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
As a Christian denomination, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in an all-powerful God named Jehovah and view the Bible as the primary source of instruction for Christian living. They believe in the existence of only one God and do not accept the concept of the Trinity. Often, Jehovah’s Witnesses go door-to-door to spread the good news about Jehovah God. As a result, many Jehovah’s Witnesses live a modest lifestyle because of their faith. Decisions made by Jehovah’s Witnesses are often based on their beliefs. Jehovah’s Witnesses, for instance, do not accept blood transfusions and do not celebrate holidays that have pagan origins.
How Many Ex NBA Players Are Jehovah’s Witnesses: Lists
| Player | NBA Career Span | Key Teams | Faith Notes |
| A.C. Green | 1985-2001 | Lakers, Suns, Mavericks | Joined mid-80s; practised celibacy until 2002 |
| Danny Granger | 2005-2015 | Pacers, Clippers, Heat | Baptised in 2017 post-retirement |
| Detlef Schrempf | 1985-2001 | Pacers, Sonics, Blazers | Converted in 1990s; active preacher |
| Reggie Theus | 1978-1991 | Bulls, Kings, Hawks | Joined in the 1990s during career |
| Michael Adams | 1986-1996 | Nuggets, Bullets | Converted late 1990s post-retirement |
| Mark Jackson | 1987-2004 | Knicks, Pacers, Warriors | Switched to faith after earlier Christianity |
| Wayman Tisdale | 1985-1997 | Pacers, Suns, Kings | Used jazz music to share beliefs; died 2009 |
| Dave Meyers | 1975-1979 | Bucks | Retired early for family/faith; refused surgery |
| Greg Ostertag | 1995-2005 | Jazz | Converted during career despite criticism |
| Darren Collison | 2009-2019,2021 | Pacers, Clippers, Lakers | Retired in 2019 for faith, returned briefly |
| Dewayne Dedmon | 2013-present* | Heat, Spurs, others | Raised in faith; overcame family opposition |
How Many Ex NBA Players Are Jehovah’s Witnesses? Guide
A.C. Green
A.C. Green had a long career in the NBA, playing hard for 16 years, mostly with the Los Angeles Lakers. A.C. Green played in 1,192 consecutive NBA games without missing any time due to injury. His Christian faith as a Jehovah’s Witness helped him to remain disciplined in life and to live by clean principles. Green won three championships while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
| Full Name | A.C. Green Jr. |
| Date of Birth | 4 October 1963 |
| Age | 61 Years |
| Place of Birth | Portland, Oregon, United States |
Danny Granger
Danny Granger played for the Pacers and other teams for ten years, from 2005 to 2015. In 2017, he became a Jehovah’s Witness after he officially retired. However, he was raised as a Christian and continued to follow that belief for the rest of his life.
| Full Name | Danny Granger Jr. |
| Date of Birth | 20 April 1983 |
| Age | 42 years |
| Place of Birth | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
Detlef Schrempf
Detlef Schrempf had a successful playing career in the 80s and 90s with the Pacers, Sonics, and Blazers. Schrempf became a Jehovah’s Witness during the 90’s and has been very open about his beliefs. He is known for being a very talented player with great skills and good character on the court.
| Full Name | Detlef Schrempf |
| Date of Birth | 21 January 1963 |
| Age | 62 Years old |
| Place of Birth | Leverkusen, Germany |
Reggie Theus
Reggie Theus was one of the biggest stars for teams like the Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, and Atlanta Hawks throughout his playing career until 1991, but continued to play in the ’90s and eventually became a coach. He was also involved with the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith during this time, which influenced his family life.
| Full Name | Reginald Wayne Theus |
| Date of Birth | 13 October 1957 |
| Age | 67 Years old |
| Place of Birth | Inglewood, California, United States |
Michael Adams
Michael Adams was a fast-paced guard for teams such as the Denver Nuggets and Washington Bullets in both the ’80s and ’90s. Once he left the game, he converted to the Jehovah’s Witness religion and focused on becoming a good husband and father to his children. Fans loved him for his quickness on the court.
| Full Name | Michael Adams |
| Date of Birth | 19 January 1963 |
| Age | 62 years |
| Place of Birth | Hartford, Connecticut, United States |
Some Other Players
Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson played as a point guard for teams such as the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers before retiring in 2004. He later converted to Jehovah’s Witnesses after having been raised in a Christian home and eventually went on to become the coach of the Golden State Warriors.
| Full Name | Mark A. Jackson |
| Date of Birth | 1 April 1965 |
| Age | 60 years |
| Place of Birth | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
Wayman Tisdale had a successful basketball career playing power forward for several teams, including the Pacers, the Suns, and the Kings, until 1997. Tisdale had a passion for jazz music. When he was not playing basketball, he often used this interest to express his belief as a Jehovah’s Witness.He died in 2009.
| Full Name | Wayman Lawrence Tisdale |
| Date of Birth | 9 June 1964 |
| Died (Age) | 15 May 2009 (44 years) |
| Place of Birth | Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States |
Dave Meyers began his career with the Milwaukee Bucks and ultimately played four seasons with them. After four seasons, he left the game to focus on family issues as well as his faith, as a Jehovah’s Witness. Meyersrefused to have surgery later in life due to his beliefs. Meyers died in 2015. Before he retired, Meyers helped the UCLA Bruins win two NCAA Championships.
| Full Name | David Charles Meyers |
| Date of Birth | 19 October 1972 |
| Age | 53 years |
| Place of Birth | Berkeley, California, United States |
Greg Ostertag was a large centre for the Utah Jazz from 1995 to 2005. He had received some criticism during his career due to his size and physicality however, he continued to be proud of his faith as a Jehovah’s Witness. Ostertag was a very good shot blocker.
| Full Name | Gregory Donovan Ostertag |
| Date of Birth | 6 March 1973 |
| Age | 52 Years Old |
| Place of Birth | Dallas, Texas, United States |
Darren Collison was a good point guard who, after retiring at 31 due to family reasons and his faith as a Jehovah’s Witness, returned to the NBA to play for the Lakers in 2021. When Collison returned to the league, he quickly became very popular with the fan base because of his ability to create easy scoring opportunities for his teammates.
| Full Name | Darren Michael Collision |
| Date of Birth | 23 August 1987 |
| Age | 37 years old |
| Place of Birth | Rancho Cucamonga, California, United States |
Dewayne Dedmon disregarded his mother’s prohibition of sports due to their current involvement with the Jehovah’s Witness religion. He has played for many, including the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs, throughout his career and still has significant concern for his background.
| Full Name | Dewayne Jamal Dedmon |
| Date of Birth | 12 August 1989 |
| Age | 35 years old |
| Place of Birth | Lancaster, California, United States |
Why Do Some Players Retire for Faith?
Many athletes experienced family difficulties throughout their lives, such as when Dedmon’s mom did not want him to play sports in the beginning.
A.C. Green’s religious beliefs were a source of great strength. In fact, Green was able to play in 1,192 consecutive NBA games due in part to his strong faith.
Many former NBA players continue to help the community and promote a healthy lifestyle by sharing their experiences and messages of hope.
In 2019, Darren Collison retired from professional basketball at 31 years of age to devote his time to Jehovah’s Witness work and family. He believed volunteering brought him greater joy than the pressures of professional basketball.
After four seasons, Dave Meyers retired from the NBA at 29 years of age to concentrate on his faith and family.
Conclusion
The lives of former NBA players who are also Jehovah’s Witnesses demonstrate that faith plays an important role in not only deciding the path you take in life but also how to conduct yourself while pursuing success within your chosen field; for some, living a life of celibacy was an option when they retired from playing professional basketball, for others, it was necessary to retire early so that they could devote more time to serving God through their faith.
