NBA Combine Profile: AJ Griffin
AJ Griffin is a flamethrower from long distance. But, he's a question mark at the top of the 2022 NBA Draft. While the forward will almost certainly hear his name called in the lottery, his position inside the top 10 seems to fluctuate often.
The former Blue Devil averaged 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 54.7% from the floor and 44.7% from 3-point range. Griffin established himself as one of the most efficient scorers in all of college basketball. He also has great size a 6-foot-6 and is one of the youngest players in the NBA Draft, not turning 19 until August.
Griffin suffered a preseason injury that kept him off the court at the beginning of the season and seems to be what his health concerns stem from.
On the offensive end, Griffin’s potential is endless. He seems to project as an elite shooter and can hurt teams in a variety of ways. His shot looks the same every time and his mechanics are elite. He excels shooting off the catch and even on the move, too, always squaring up his shoulders and staying on balance.
Griffin has also shown flashes of self creation, working off of a ball screen and taking his man off the dribble. He has a smooth handle for his size and weaves in-and-out of traffic with relative ease. He could develop a nice turnaround midrange jumper with time in the NBA.
The problem with Griffin is how he impacts the game when his shot isn’t falling. Some people fear that on an off-night, Griffin may not bring much else to the floor. His feet are slower than most, raising concerns about his defense, too. While it’s not an elite part of his game right now, the potential is there. He has impressive size and a If he can develop into a 3-and-D player at the very least, Griffin will always be a useful NBA player. When he heats up, though, he’s a serious game changer.
His fluidity on the offensive end, plus his floor as an elite shooter, should lock him into the top ten. If he can continue to add to his offensive game and use his length on the defensive end, Griffin will have a long NBA career. His two-way potential could turn him into a star in the right situation.
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