
How Many Ex NBA Players Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?, (3 NBA Players Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Dewayne Dedmon, Danny Granger, and Darren Collison)
Are you a sports enthusiast? Interested in learning how Jehovah’s Witnesses have impacted the NBA? You’ve come to the right place! This blog on kyprisnews.com will take an in-depth look at 3 former NBA players Dewayne Dedmon, Danny Granger and Darren Collison who follow the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
3 NBA players, Dewayne Dedmon, Danny Granger, and Darren Collison, are Jehovah’s Witnesses. They talk about how their religion has shaped their lives and careers. They prioritize their faith over basketball, not taking part in activities that conflict with their beliefs.
Are you interested in learning more? Read to learn the way their faith has shaped their lives in and out of the court.
About Jehovah Witnesses Religion & It’s origin
Jehovah’s Witnesses is a Christian denomination established in the late 19th century in the US. It was founded by Charles Taze Russell, based on his Bible interpretation. This faith is known for door-to-door preaching, rejecting military service and blood transfusions, and emphasizing personal moral code.
They believe in one God, Jehovah, whom they believe created everything, including Jesus. They don’t accept the Trinity, considering Jesus to be a different entity than God. They also believe in an afterlife and that only a few will go to heaven to reign with Christ. The rest will receive an eternal life on earth.
Charles Taze Russell‘s Bible study group gathered in 1870, and he published a series of books called “Studies in the Scriptures,” in which he explained his ideas about the end times and the kingdom of God. He also founded a publishing company called Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, which still publishes literature for religion.
To sum up, Jehovah’s Witnesses is a Christian denomination founded in America in the late 19th century, based on Charles Taze Russell’s Bible interpretation. It has a focus on personal moral code, door-to-door preaching, and refusing military service and blood transfusions.
3 NBA Players Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses
Dewayne Dedmon, Danny Granger, and Darren Collison are all former NBA players who practice the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
- Dedmon grew up in a religious family but found Jehovah’s Witnesses in college. He says they give him discipline.
- Granger met Jehovah’s Witnesses during his first year as a police officer. He believes they help him make decisions.
- Collison discovered religion through other NBA players. He says it helps him prioritize what’s important.
All three players find that their faith is beneficial to their lives on and off the court.
Dewayne Dedmon Career & Following Jehovah’s Witnesses
Dewayne Dedmon is an ex-NBA player who follows Jehovah’s Witnesses. His basketball journey began when he joined Antelope Valley College. Then, he moved to University of Southern California. Dedmon wasn’t drafted in 2013 but he signed as an undrafted free agent for the Golden State Warriors. Later, he went on to play for other teams like Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Hornets.
Being a follower of Jehovah’s Witness, Dewayne follows certain rules. He doesn’t take blood transfusions or celebrate holidays like Christmas. In 2018, he talked about how his busy NBA career didn’t let him attend meetings. Still, he believes his faith shaped him off and on the court. In 2019, Dedmon missed 3 games with the Kings due to his beliefs. He chose not to play with a leather ball made of animal skin. He had permission from UCFAS union reps to exempt himself from practices.
Jehovah’s Witnesses hold different views than conventional society. But, they stay devoted to their religion and it doesn’t affect their professional lives.
Danny Granger Career & Following Jehovah’s Witnesses
Danny Granger was a former NBA player. He was famous for his scoring and defense. Off the court, he was devoted to his faith as a Jehovah’s Witness. His teammates and coaches noticed his commitment. He often discussed how his religion kept him grounded during his NBA career. He would also refuse to take part in team activities that disagreed with his beliefs, like birthdays and holidays.
In spite of his struggles, he was loyal to Jehovah’s Witnesses throughout his career. He used his NBA platform to teach people about his religion.
Overall, Danny Granger’s NBA career was not only remarkable for his basketball skills, but also his loyalty to Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Darren Collison Career & Following Jehovah’s Witnesses
Darren Collison is another Ex NBA player who followed Jehovah’s Witnesses. He was part of numerous teams, including the Indiana Pacers and the Dallas Mavericks.
Like Granger, Collison talked about how his faith impacted his life and basketball career. Being a Jehovah’s Witness helped him pay attention to what was important and dodge any distractions.
Collison had difficulties joining certain aspects of being an NBA player with his beliefs. He chose not to stand during the national anthem due to political reasons, which caused some criticism. In spite of these issues, he stayed loyal to his faith. He used his NBA platform to spread awareness about Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Collison had a successful career playing for different teams. But his faith was also important to him. He was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. And he still follows the religion.
Collison grew up in California. His parents were Jehovah’s Witnesses for a long time. Collison converted to the religion himself. He believes it has helped him stay focused in life and in basketball.
In interviews, he has said that his faith encourages him to stay disciplined in all areas of his life.
Impact of being a Jehovah’s Witness on NBA careers
The effect of being a Jehovah’s Witness on NBA careers can differ from person to person. Here’s a look at the pro stats for 3 former NBA players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses:
Player | Career Stats | Impact on Career |
---|---|---|
Dewayne Dedmon | 6.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game in 7 NBA seasons | Dedmon said his faith helped him stay disciplined. He improved every year. |
Danny Granger | 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 10 NBA seasons | Granger said his faith gave him purpose and motivation. |
Darren Collison | 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 10 NBA seasons | Collison said his faith was why he retired to become a minister at age 31. |
It’s not known if faith was a factor in their success or decisions. But there’s no doubt that Dedmon, Granger and Collison found meaning and purpose from Jehovah’s Witnesses. Basketball was only part of the bigger picture, which included service to God and being involved in the community.
Jehovah’s Witnesses Beliefs And Practices
Jehovah’s Witnesses adhere to a particular interpretation of Bible that places their belief in one single god named Jehovah as creator and only 144,000 will enter heaven together with Jesus Christ after Armageddon occurs. These individuals live an individualistic lifestyle without engaging in battle and celebrating holidays such as Christmas or Easter as part of their faith; preaching their beliefs by going door-to-door spreading awareness for Jehovah from home to home is another aspect.
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not abide by blood transfusion practices according to scripture and opt instead for treatments which don’t require blood transfusions such as alternative forms of therapy and builder community each week when gathering to discuss biblical doctrine and praise God.
Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Jehovah’s Witnesses have a unique structure and operations. It is a theocratic organization, centralized, hierarchical, and disciplined. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is its head office worldwide.
The Governing Body is responsible for all spiritual and organizational matters. They interpret Biblical doctrine, publish new materials, and set rules and regulations for worship.
Congregations are located in specific areas. Elders, selected from the congregation, watch over them. They provide pastoral care, discipline members who disobey Biblical principles, and organize meetings and activities.
No paid clergy or church buildings – Jehovah’s Witnesses meet in Kingdom Halls or rented places for worship services. They also go door-to-door to spread their faith.
So, Jehovah’s Witnesses operate on a hierarchical model with a centralized governing body that provides guidance to local congregations led by elders.
Their beliefs and practices emphasize Biblical teachings. Refusing blood transfusions, not celebrating Christmas or birthdays, not engaging in politics, or war-like activities are some of them.