How Many Ex NBA Players Are Jehovah’s Witnesses? Full List

While there isn’t an official count, the three most verifiable names of former NBA players who practice Jehovah’s Witnessism are Darren Collison, Danny Granger, and Dewayne Dedmon. Other former NBA players are often cited in association with the religion as well, though some of these are less reliable than others.

The followers of Jehovah’s Witnesses distinguish themselves by preaching door to door, rejecting blood transfusions, and prioritizing scripture and family. Being a professional athlete who practices the religion may involve challenging career choices.

This guide provides answers to “How Many Ex NBA Players Are Jehovah’s Witnesses”, tells you why it is so challenging to estimate the right number, and brings up examples from people’s life stories.

Table of Contents

Quick Answer To How Many Ex NBA Players Are Jehovah’s Witnesses

Question	Answer
How many ex-NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses?	Most reliable sources confirm 3: Darren Collison, Danny Granger, Dewayne Dedmon
Are there current NBA players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses?	As of recent seasons, no active players are publicly confirmed
Why is the number hard to confirm?	Not all players publicly discuss their faith; some claims are based on rumors or older reports
Which ex-NBA player retired to focus on his faith?	Darren Collison (retired in 2019)
Which ex-NBA player was baptized after his career?	Danny Granger
Which ex-NBA player was raised in the faith?	Dewayne Dedmon

Confirmed Ex-NBA Players Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses

Although there are many versions of this list found on the web, these are the players who were identified as Jehovah’s Witnesses most convincingly and repeatedly:

1. Darren Collison

Years of NBA Career: 2009–2019
Teams: New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz
Faith Life: Collison grew up in the faith and grew increasingly vocal about it as his career progressed.
Reason for Retirement: In 2019, when he was 32 and still had a good career ahead of him, Collison decided to retire and devote himself to family and religion.
His Statement: “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.”
Activities after Retirement: Now, Collison is engaged in ministerial work and spreading his faith and spends time with his family.

2. Danny Granger

Years of NBA Career: 2005–2015
Teams: Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons
Faith Life: Unlike Collison, Granger did not grow up in the faith, but joined the religion later in his life. According to reports, Granger was baptized two years after his last NBA game.
His Achievement: Most Improved Player (NBA 2009) and NBA All-Star (NBA 2009). Granger was one of the best scorers among Pacers in the late 2000s.
Post-Basketball Activities: Unlike Collison, Granger keeps a rather low profile after retiring.

3. Dewayne Dedmon

Years of NBA Career: 2012–2021 (multiple teams and stints with the G-League)
Teams: Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, etc.
Faith Life: Dedmon was raised in the Jehovah’s Witness family. His mother, a faithful witness, warned Dedmon that playing basketball can be dangerous for his faith in God.
Career: Dedmon became known for being a tough defender with excellent skills in rebounding.
Present Situation: Dedmon is not on the roster of any NBA team, but he stays active in basketball and other activities. However, it is not clear how actively Dedmon participates in his religious life. Still, Dedmon is mentioned on all lists of ex-basketball players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Why the Exact Number Is Hard to Confirm

Several reasons can explain why it is difficult to determine the exact number of ex-NBA players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses:

Confidentiality: Not all basketball players reveal their religious preferences.
Changing Religion Status: There are cases when some players were brought up in this faith but stopped participating in its activities later in their lives or vice versa.
Misinformation: Through the years, different names appeared on the list of Jehovah’s Witnesses athletes but without current verification.
Lack of Database: The NBA does not keep track of the religious preferences of the players, and Jehovah’s Witnesses do not publish the list of its athletes.

For these reasons, most reliable sources include only players who speak publicly about their faith or those who were mentioned repeatedly by different sources.

Other Ex-NBA Players Often Mentioned

Apart from these three that have been confirmed, there are many other former players in the NBA who have been linked to the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses in various articles and other discussions.

Commonly Cited Names

A.C. Green

NBA player for 16 seasons, won three titles with the Los Angeles Lakers
Often referred to as being a devout Jehovah’s Witness since college years

Mark Jackson

NBA point guard, former coach and broadcaster
Often mentioned as being brought up in a family that was Jehovah’s Witnesses

Detlef Schrempf

German basketball forward and multi-time All-Star
Often named in faith-related basketball articles as being Jehovah’s Witnesses

Michael Adams

NBA player for 11 seasons, known for his scoring abilities and three-point shooting
Sometimes mentioned as a member of the faith serving as minister in the community

Thurl Bailey

Long-career forward with the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves
Occasionally mentioned in various lists of Jehovah’s Witnesses players

Reggie Theus

Two-time All-Star, later served as coach and broadcaster
Sometimes mentioned in faith-based articles, though not many documents available

Dave Meyers

Forward in the 1970s NBA, won multiple championships with the Milwaukee Bucks teams
Often mentioned as a Jehovah’s Witness until his death in 2015

Greg Ostertag

Center, won two championships with the Chicago Bulls
Sometimes mentioned in lists, though information is scarce

Willie Wise, Mark Eaton, Pervis Ellison, Eddie Griffin, Lloyd Daniels

Names mentioned in extended lists, though confirmation from the sources is limited or mixed

Since these players did not always publicly comment on their faith practice, it is appropriate to call them “often mentioned” rather than “fully confirmed” in the same way as Collison, Granger, and Dedmon.

Faith-Related Decisions of the Players

Darren Collison’s Retirement

The retirement of Collison at the height of his career stands out as one of the most debated decisions concerning faith within the NBA. His departure from his comfort zone, good salary, and established position in the league for the sake of serving God and his family was remarkable.

His decision demonstrated just how much religion means to certain individuals in athletics, even if it means leaving behind one’s dream career.

Danny Granger’s Baptism After His Career

From Granger’s case, it can be seen that faith becomes important even when a person’s time in the sport ends. In fact, he converted to Christianity in his post-NBA career.

Upbringing of Dewayne Dedmon

The interesting aspect about Dewayne’s story is the conflict between the faith-oriented attitude of his mother and his call to play basketball. The fact that Dedmon could go on to become an NBA player while respecting his family’s beliefs is usually mentioned when talking about faith and sports.

Is There An NBA Player Who Is a Jehovah’s Witness?

Currently, there are no active NBA players who openly confess to being Jehovah’s Witnesses. There are occasional names that come up in speculation, but nothing concrete has ever been said by any players in terms of faith, similar to Collison.

It should be noted that the lack of known players of this faith does not mean that there are no active practitioners in the NBA, it only means that:

They have decided not to disclose their religious affiliations publicly, or

None of the present-day players has been identified as a Jehovah’s Witness by several credible sources.

Why Jehovah’s Witnesses Don’t Play in the NBA

Some of the things that Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in and the requirements of NBA playing can create certain obstacles for people of this faith:

Time Management – meetings, ministry work, Bible study all take considerable time.
Traveling and Schedule – an NBA season includes a lot of traveling and games on the weekend, unusual hours, which may clash with one’s religious practices.
Media – famous athletes get a lot of coverage from the press, which conflicts with the idea of a quiet and simple life of a Jehovah’s Witness.
Individual Choice – some members of this faith might opt for a career where schedule and life circumstances allow them to practice their faith better.

It does not mean that one cannot be a Jehovah’s Witness and play professional basketball, but it certainly makes it harder.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many former NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses?

The majority of credible sources say that there are three of them: Darren Collison, Danny Granger, and Dewayne Dedmon. There are also some other players whose connection with the organization is mentioned.

Are there any present-day NBA players that are Jehovah’s Witnesses?

It seems that there aren’t any such players in the recent NBA seasons.

Which ex-NBA player decided to retire for religious purposes?

Darren Collison quit playing professionally in 2019 to spend more time with his family and with religious duties.

Was Danny Granger raised in the organization?

No, he wasn’t. He became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses when he was already in adulthood and was reported to be baptized about two years after his last NBA season.

How was Dewayne Dedmon raised concerning the faith?

He was raised in the Jehovah’s Witnesses family, his mother did not want him to play basketball because she feared that it would affect his beliefs.

What other ex-NBA players are connected to Jehovah’s Witnesses?

There are some other players mentioned in different sources. They are A.C. Green, Mark Jackson, Detlef Schrempf, Michael Adams, Thurl Bailey, Reggie Theus, Dave Meyers, Greg Ostertag and others.

Why does it take it difficult to find out the correct number?

Players do not share information about their religion with the public sometimes; reports can be dated or just conflicting and there is no list of players belonging to Jehovah’s Witnesses by the NBA or church.

Do Jehovah’s Witnesses usually avoid participation in professional sports?

No, there is nothing in the regulations that prevents them from participating in professional sports, although the lifestyle of NBA makes it rather complicated to combine it with high religious activities.

Did any NBA players convert to Jehovah’s Witnesses while playing in NBA?

Some of them converted at the end of their career and some of them became Jehovah’s Witnesses when they were younger.

Are there any Jehovah’s Witnesses among athletes in other kinds of sport?

Yes, there are some players in NFL, MLB, athletics and others.

Final Thoughts

The most solidly confirmed ex-NBA players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses are Darren Collison, Danny Granger, and Dewayne Dedmon. Their stories show different paths: a player retiring early for faith, a star joining the faith after his career, and a player raised in the faith who navigated family concerns to reach the NBA.

Other names like A.C. Green, Mark Jackson, and Detlef Schrempf are often mentioned, but the level of current, public confirmation varies. Because religious affiliation is personal and not tracked by the league, the exact number will always be somewhat uncertain.

What is clear is that for the players who do follow this faith, it often plays a major role in their identity, decisions, and life after basketball.