Former Duke star AJ Griffin enters the NBA Draft as a projected top-10 pick according to our most recent HoopsHype aggregate mock draft. That consensus was echoed by three NBA scouts who spoke to HoopsHype.
One NBA scout whose team has Griffin as a top-10 pick on their board told HoopsHype, “I like his body. He’s a legit 6-foot-6 and has a huge wingspan. He’s so young at 18, and he is about 225. I like how he has an athletic stance about him, and he plays really low on defense and in drills. He’s got a smooth jumper with a compact release but needs to speed up his release. I don’t think he has a good one-on-one handle, but I think he’s good enough to drive on closeouts and go by people downhill. I think he’s a little bit of a swing (for the fences) pick. Overall, I’m very positive about the kid, and I like him.”
“In high school, he was an athlete and a dunker,” a second NBA scout told HoopsHype. “In college, he was more of a shooter. That’s why there’s so much curiosity. His defense doesn’t always match his physical and athletic tools, but it piques interest.”
“Defensively, he sets down very well and will spread out a team with his length when defending the ball,” a third NBA scout told HoopsHype. “He has the size and length to switch and defend on most college fours. He uses his strength to contain dribble backdown attempts. He’ll need to do a better job on closeouts to keep the ball in front of him. He’s great at coming back to rebound the ball.”
After a styling and fitting session with Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, California, for his draft suit, Griffin spoke with HoopsHype about his personality behind the scenes, his time with coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, player comparisons, his long-term goals, and more below.