By Mallory Mattingly
Florida Gators guard AJ Brown says that being a follower of Christ means caring for people just as Jesus did.
“If you want to give God all the glory, you’re going to naturally help others and care for others just how Jesus cares for us,” the basketball player said on “The Walk” podcast.
Brown announced that he plans to redshirt this year, which means that he will continue to sit on the sidelines and support his team. However, just because he isn’t in the game doesn’t mean he can’t show his teammates and coaches the love of Christ.
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“And I think that’s one thing that I’m trying to do now is really switch my identity because, as you know, I am redshirting. It’s hard, man,” he shared. “I want to be out there with my team. I want to play with them. I want to give them everything I have. But I’m now realizing that even though I’m not playing, I’m at practice with them every day. I’m in the locker room with them every day, and I’m in the games with them every day. I might not be playing, but I’m giving them the support that I can.”
Brown is focused on playing the position that God has him in right now.
“I am going to be the best teammate that I can, so I can glorify Jesus in that way,” he declared. “Even though I’m not on the court, I’m playing my role right now to make the team better. And I think that’s something that’s just hard to do, especially when you know you could be out there, and you want to help your team — but there are other ways to help.”
“And that’s something I’m grasping now and something that I’m grateful to have the opportunity to do because I know once I do get out of this stage in my life, it’s going to help me for the better,” he reflected.
Brown also uses his platform to share his faith.
“In them red letters imma trust,” he wrote on Instagram on Feb. 20.
“Through the ups and the downs, God has always been by my side no matter what,” he shared in another post.
Instead of being upset about having to sit out his junior year, Brown trusts that God still has a plan for him. Just because he isn’t on the court doesn’t mean he still can’t be one of the biggest assets for the Gators.
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