Veteran guard Darren Collison has decided to retire from the NBA after 10 seasons primarily to concentrate on helping the less fortunate through his Jehovah’s Witnesses faith, he told .

“While I still love basketball, I know there is something more important, which is my family and my faith,” Collison said. “I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and my faith means everything to me. I receive so much joy from volunteering to help others and participate in a worldwide ministry. The joy I feel is unmatched. With that being said, I have decided to retire from the NBA.”

The 31-year-old, who has made $43 million during his NBA career, was on focus to verify a $10 million to $12 million yearly pay in free agency this late spring, as indicated by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. In any case, after long consultation with operator Bill Duffy, Collison at last settled on retirement.

Collison arrived at the midpoint of 12.5 focuses and 5.0 assists 708 games through 10 seasons. The 2010 All-NBA new kid on the block determination played for the New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, LA Clippers, Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers. He is one of 26 players in NBA history to average at any rate 10 points and 3.5 assists per game in each of his first 10 seasons.

Collison expressed gratitude toward a few teammates and NBA stars who inspired him during his career.

“I’m also appreciative of that great friendships that I have earned from my teammates, coaches, and front office personnel that I will treasure for a lifetime,” Collison wrote Friday. “Players such as Victor Oladipo, Russell Westbrook, DeMarcus Cousins, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James that had a major impact on me competing at the highest level. I either have a close relationship with those that I have mentioned or they inspired me to work harder.”

Oladipo was among Collison’s former teammates to wish him well on social media on Friday night.

Collison said in the letter that while he had done his best to help the less fortunate, he will now have the ability to do more in retirement. He also plans on spending more time in ministry in his Jehovah’s Witnesses faith, which he says has made him a better person.

“Basketball has been my life since I was a child,” Collison wrote Friday. “I could never imagine finding anything that brings me more joy than I get from playing the game.”

Collison strongly thanked Duffy for his years of services. His biggest expression of gratitude, however, was directed at his wife, Keyosha.

“She has guided our family through everything you could imagine during the many NBA seasons,” Collison said. “From the amount of moves that we’ve made, the day-to-day challenges we faced and all the while dealt with the emotions of an up and down season. She is our strength.”