Ex NBA Jehovah Witness: The Full Story Behind Brittany Schmitt’s Viral Comedy Bit That Broke the Internet

November 26, 2025 Noah

If you were online anytime after 2022, you probably saw the phrase ex NBA Jehovah Witness trending everywhere. The reason? A stand-up comedian named Brittany Schmitt told one of the wildest, funniest, and most talked-about dating stories in recent memory.

In her now-legendary comedy special and podcast appearance, Brittany explained that she once dated a very tall, very famous NBA player. Years after they broke up, he called her out of the blue. He told her he had become a Jehovah’s Witness and needed her to repent with him because of all the crazy (and very explicit) things they did together back in the day.

Her husband, sitting right next to her during the show, immediately grabbed his phone and Googled NBA players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses. Within seconds he found three names — and the internet lost its mind trying to figure out exactly who the mystery ex NBA Jehovah Witness player was.

That single joke created millions of Google searches for terms like:

ex NBA Jehovah Witness Brittany
ex NBA Jehovah Witness light skin
ex NBA Jehovah Witness comedian
how many ex NBA players are Jehovah Witness
ex NBA player who turned Jehovah Witness
ex NBA Jehovah Witness players light skin

Today, years later in 2025, people are still searching and debating. So let’s break down everything we know — the players, the clues, the truth, and the rumors — in the clearest way possible.The Danish Word for Fascists: Simple History, Meaning, and Why It Still Matters

Table of Contents

The Exact Moment the Joke Went Viral

Brittany Schmitt told the story on the Y’all Know What It Is podcast and later included an even longer version in her stand-up special called From Ho to Housewife.

Here’s what she said (shortened and cleaned up for younger readers):

“I used to date this NBA player. Super tall, super famous, super good in bed — like, record-breaking good. Fast forward years later, I’m married now. I got a random call from him. He says, ‘Hey, I’ve become a Jehovah’s Witness. The lifestyle we lived was wrong. We need to repent together.’

My husband looks at me and goes, ‘Hold up.’ He Google’s ex NBA Jehovah Witness players right there on the spot. Three names pop up. And I’m like… yep, it’s the light-skinned one.”

That “light-skinned” clue is the biggest reason everyone points to one specific player.

The Three Ex-NBA Players Connected to Jehovah’s Witnesses (Full Profiles)

When people search who are the ex NBA Jehovah Witness players, only three names ever appear. Let’s look at each one in detail so you can decide for yourself.

1. Danny Granger – The #1 Suspect

Full Name: Danny Granger Jr.
Played: 2005 – 2015
Main Team: Indiana Pacers
Height: 6’9”
Biggest Achievements:
- 2009 NBA All-Star
- 2008–09 Most Improved Player
- Led the entire league in three-pointers made one season
- Averaged 25.8 points per game in 2008–09
Skin Tone: Light-skinned Black man
Current Life: Very private, works in business and TV sometimes
Why People Think It’s Him: He fits the “light-skinned” description perfectly, retired early due to injuries, and has never spoken publicly about the Brittany story.

2. Darren Collison – The One Who Walked Away from Millions

Full Name: Darren Michael Collison
Played: 2009 – 2019, plus one comeback season in 2021–22
Teams: Hornets, Pacers, Kings, Mavericks, Lakers
Height: 6’0”
Biggest Moment: In 2019, at age 31 and still a starter, he shocked the NBA by retiring. He said he wanted to focus on his family and his faith as a Jehovah’s Witness.
Came back for one final season with the Lakers in 2021–22
Skin Tone: Brown/Dark-skinned
Very open about being a Jehovah’s Witness — he has done interviews about it
Why Most People Rule Him Out: Brittany said “light-skinned,” and Darren is clearly not.

3. Dewayne Dedmon – The Active Player Raised in the Faith

Full Name: Dewayne Jamal Dedmon
Still Playing in 2025 (Miami Heat)
Height: 7’0”
Fun Fact: Went undrafted in 2013, then became a solid NBA center
Raised as a Jehovah’s Witness by his mother
Does NOT celebrate birthdays or Christmas — teammates know this and respect it
Skin Tone: Dark-skinned
Why He’s Ruled Out: Still actively playing when Brittany told the story, and again, not light-skinned.

Quick Comparison Table

Player	Retired?	Skin Tone	Open About Faith?	Matches Brittany’s Clue?
Danny Granger	Yes	Light-skinned	No comment	Yes
Darren Collison	Yes	Brown/Dark	Very open	No
Dewayne Dedmon	No	Dark	Yes	No

So when people ask how many ex NBA players are Jehovah Witness, the honest answer is:

Two fully retired (Granger and Collison)
One still active (Dedmon)

That’s it. There are no secret fourth or fifth players. No “Cousin Keith.” No white players. All of that is internet jokes.Harry Styles Love on Tour: The Full Story

The Top Clues Brittany Dropped Over the Years

Brittany has told the story many times since 2022, and each time she adds tiny new hints:

“He was an All-Star.”

→ Only Danny Granger out of the three was ever an All-Star.

“Light-skinned one.”

→ Again, only Danny fits.

“He played on the Pacers.”

→ Danny Granger was the face of the Pacers for years. Darren Collison played there too, but only as a role player.

“Very, very tall — like 6’8” or 6’9”.”

→ Danny is 6’9”. Darren is 6’0”. Dewayne is 7 ‘0 ” but still playing.

Every single clue points in the same direction¹.

Has Danny Granger Ever Responded?

No. Not once.

Danny has stayed completely silent. He doesn’t do many interviews anymore. When reporters ask him about basketball, he answers. When fans online tag him about the Brittany story, he never replies.

That silence makes some people think, “If it wasn’t true, wouldn’t he just say no?”

Others think he’s just a private guy who doesn’t want comedy drama.

Is the Story 100% True, Half-True, or Completely Made Up?

Brittany herself has said different things at different times:

Sometimes she says it’s “100% true.”
Sometimes she laughs and says, “It’s comedy — take it with a grain of salt.”
In one interview she admitted the phone call about repenting really happened, but she made some parts funnier and bigger for the stage.

So the safe answer: The core of the story is real, but details are exaggerated for laughs. That’s how stand-up comedy works.

Why This Story Still Matters in 2025

Three years later, new fans discover the joke every single week. High school kids, new NBA fans, and comedy lovers keep searching ex NBA Jehovah Witness and finding the same three names.Janet Caperna Age: How Old Is The Valley Star in 2025?

The mix of sports, sex, religion, and mystery is just too perfect². It’s like a real-life soap opera.

Other Famous Athletes and Jehovah’s Witnesses

While we’re talking about it, here are a few more big names from sports who are or were Jehovah’s Witnesses:

Serena and Venus Williams (raised Jehovah’s Witness, still identify with it)
Kid Gavilán (boxing legend)
Dave Meyers (1975 NBA champ with the Lakers, left basketball early for faith)

But when it comes to the NBA and the exact phrase ex NBA Jehovah Witness, it always comes back to Granger, Collison, and Dedmon.

Final 2025 Update – Where Are They All Now?

Brittany Schmitt – Still touring, married, the joke remains the biggest moment of her career.
Danny Granger – Lives in California, does some TV work, still zero public comments about the story.
Darren Collison – Works as an NBA analyst, very happy with his faith and family life.
Dewayne Dedmon – 36 years old, still a backup center for the Miami Heat, still skips birthday cake in the locker room.

FAQs

Who is the ex NBA Jehovah Witness that Brittany Schmitt dated?

Brittany has never said the name, but every clue she gave (All-Star, light-skinned, played for the Pacers, very tall) points to Danny Granger. Most fans are 99% sure it’s him.

How many ex-NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses?

Only three are publicly known:

Danny Granger (retired)
Darren Collison (retired)
Dewayne Dedmon (still playing in 2025) So the real answer to “how many ex NBA Jehovah Witness players” is two retired + one active.

Is Danny Granger really a Jehovah’s Witness?

Danny has never confirmed it himself, but he has never denied it either. The rumor started because of Brittany’s joke and has stuck around for years.

Why did Brittany call him “the light-skinned one”?

In her routine, her husband found three names when he Googled ex NBA Jehovah Witness. To let the audience know which one without saying the name, she said “the light-skinned one” — and only Danny Granger fits that description.

Did the “repent” phone call actually happen?

Brittany says yes, the call really happened. She has admitted some parts of the story are made bigger and funnier for comedy, but the phone call and the Jehovah’s Witness part are true.

Conclusion: The Mystery That Refuses to Die

The ex NBA Jehovah Witness story started as a five-minute comedy bit and turned into one of the longest-running internet detective games in sports history.

Every clue Brittany Schmitt has ever given points to Danny Granger. No one has ever proved it’s someone else. And until Danny or Brittany says the actual name out loud, fans will keep searching ex NBA Jehovah Witness light skin, ex NBA Jehovah Witness Brittany, and every other version of the keyword.

So here’s the big question for you:

Do you think Brittany dated Danny Granger and got the “repent” phone call… or is this the greatest comedy mystery troll of all time?

Let me know your final guess in the comments!

References & Further Reading

FanSided – The article that listed all known NBA Jehovah’s Witnesses: The NBA players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses because of Brittany Schmitt ↩︎
The SportsRush – Full original article that broke the Google-search story: Brittany Schmitt’s Husband Googled ‘NBA Jehovah’s Witnesses’ & Found Her Ex Danny Granger ↩︎