The NBA has had players from many different religious backgrounds, including Jehovah’s Witnesses. The topic received extra attention after comedian Brittany Schmitt shared a story about an unnamed former NBA player who had become a Jehovah’s Witness. So, how many ex nba players are jehovah’s witnesses? Based on widely reported information, three former NBA players are commonly identified: Darren Collison, Danny Granger, and Dewayne Dedmon. However, the exact number is difficult to confirm because religion is personal and there is no official NBA list of players by faith.
How Many Ex-NBA Players Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
There are three former NBA players who are commonly reported as Jehovah’s Witnesses: Darren Collison, Danny Granger, and Dewayne Dedmon. This is the number most often mentioned in articles discussing NBA players connected to the faith. FanSided also listed these three names when covering Brittany Schmitt’s comedy story.
It is important to understand that this is not an official NBA count. The league does not maintain a public database showing the religion of every current or former player. Some athletes openly discuss their faith, while others keep their personal beliefs private.
For that reason, the safest answer is that three former NBA players are publicly and commonly associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Other names sometimes appear on internet lists, but they may not have the same level of reliable public evidence.
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Who Are the Ex-NBA Players Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Darren Collison
Darren Collison is probably the best-documented example because he openly discussed his faith when he announced his NBA retirement.
Collison entered the NBA in 2009 after playing college basketball at UCLA. During his 10-year career, he played for teams including the New Orleans Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento Kings. He became known as a reliable point guard and finished his NBA career with strong scoring and assist numbers.
In June 2019, Collison announced that he was retiring from professional basketball at age 31. He explained that his family and faith were more important to him than continuing his NBA career. He directly stated that he was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and said his faith was very important to him.
His retirement decision attracted considerable attention because he was still capable of playing at a high level and was expected to receive interest from NBA teams.
Collison briefly considered returning to the NBA in 2020 after receiving interest from teams, but he ultimately remained retired at that time. NBA.com reported that his religion had been an important reason behind his original decision.
Danny Granger
Danny Granger is another former NBA player commonly included in lists of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Granger spent most of his NBA career with the Indiana Pacers and became one of the team’s leading players during the late 2000s and early 2010s. He was selected to the NBA All-Star team in 2009 and was an important scorer for Indiana during his best seasons.
His religious background has been discussed in multiple reports about Jehovah’s Witnesses in professional basketball. He is frequently listed alongside Darren Collison and Dewayne Dedmon as one of the three former NBA players associated with the faith.
Granger’s name also became connected to the Brittany Schmitt story. Some readers believed the unnamed former NBA player in Schmitt’s comedy routine might have been Granger because of details mentioned in the story.
However, this should not be treated as a confirmed fact. Schmitt did not name the player in her routine. FanSided also noted that some details appeared to point toward Granger but said there was no way to know whether the story was actually about him.
Dewayne Dedmon
Dewayne Dedmon is the third name commonly included in discussions about NBA players connected to Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Dedmon played center in the NBA after developing his basketball career later than many professional players. He played for several teams during his career, including the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, and Miami Heat.
Dedmon was raised by a mother who was a devoted Jehovah’s Witness. His religious upbringing has been discussed as an important part of his background and personal life.
Unlike Collison, whose retirement announcement clearly explained his religious beliefs, information about Dedmon’s faith is more often discussed through biographical reports about his family and upbringing. This is another reason why it is important to distinguish between publicly documented information and online assumptions.
What Started the Brittany Schmitt NBA Player Story?
Brittany Schmitt’s comedy routine brought renewed attention to the subject.
In her comedy special, Schmitt talked about a former NBA player she had dated. According to FanSided’s report, the former player contacted her after their relationship and told her that he had become a Jehovah’s Witness and that she should repent. Schmitt did not reveal the player’s name.
The story became interesting to NBA fans because Schmitt later mentioned that her husband encouraged her to search for how many former NBA players were Jehovah’s Witnesses.
At the time, Schmitt reportedly said there were only two. However, FanSided’s search found three commonly reported NBA players connected to the faith: Dedmon, Granger, and Collison.
This created an online guessing game about the identity of the former player.
Was Brittany Schmitt Talking About Danny Granger?
Danny Granger has often been suggested as the possible player mentioned in Schmitt’s story, but there is no confirmed evidence that he was the person she was talking about.
FanSided pointed out that one detail from Schmitt’s story appeared to fit Granger, while other details did not clearly match publicly available information about either Granger or Collison. The article ultimately left the question unanswered.
That distinction matters. A comedian’s story does not automatically provide enough evidence to identify a private person, especially when the person was deliberately left unnamed.
Therefore, it is better to say that Granger was speculated to be the person in the story, rather than saying that he was definitely the former NBA player Schmitt dated.
Final Word
So, how many ex nba players are jehovah’s witnesses? The commonly reported answer is three: Darren Collison, Danny Granger, and Dewayne Dedmon. FanSided and several other publications have identified these players when discussing Jehovah’s Witnesses and the NBA.
Darren Collison is the clearest case because he publicly stated that he was a Jehovah’s Witness when announcing his retirement. Granger and Dedmon are also widely associated with the faith through public biographical and media reports.
Still, three should be viewed as the number of publicly known and commonly reported cases, not an official count of every former NBA player who has ever followed the religion.
FAQs
1.How many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Three former NBA players are commonly reported as Jehovah’s Witnesses: Darren Collison, Danny Granger, and Dewayne Dedmon.
2.Who are the three NBA players associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
The three commonly reported names are Darren Collison, Danny Granger, and Dewayne Dedmon.
3.Was Danny Granger the NBA player Brittany Schmitt talked about?
It is not confirmed. Some details from Brittany Schmitt’s comedy story led people to speculate that the unnamed player could be Danny Granger.
4.Is Darren Collison a Jehovah’s Witness?
Yes. Darren Collison publicly identified himself as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses when he announced his NBA retirement in 2019.
5.Is Dewayne Dedmon a Jehovah’s Witness?
Dewayne Dedmon is commonly identified as a Jehovah’s Witness in reports about NBA players and the faith.
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