Tag: AJ Griffin

Former Duke basketball star officially leaving the NBA after two seasons

Former Duke basketball star AJ Griffin will walk away from the NBA after two seasons, per a Friday report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

According to a Friday report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, former Duke basketball star AJ Griffin is leaving the NBA after just two seasons.

Charania said the Houston Rockets, who traded for Griffin back in June, waived the former Blue Devil with a contract buyout. Reports first surfaced that Griffin might walk away from the sport last week, and Charania’s report sounded like the decision had been made.

“(Griffin) is expected to step away from basketball at 21 years old after two NBA seasons,” Charania wrote.

Griffin played just one season with the Blue Devils, helping fellow freshman Paolo Banchero take Duke to the Final Four in 2022. The Atlanta Hawks drafted him with the 16th overall pick later that summer, and he spent his first two seasons with the franchise before the aforementioned trade to Houston.

After a promising rookie season that included 8.9 points per game and a 39% 3-point percentage, the New York native took a step back in his sophomore year. After he played in 72 games in 2022-23, he made just 20 appearances in 2023-24 and averaged 2.4 points. His minutes per game fell from 19.5 to 8.6, and Griffin made just 25.6% of his 3-point looks.

No reasons have been given for Griffin’s departure from the professional ranks, and the former Blue Devil has not made any public statements about his career.

Former Duke basketball star reportedly might leave the sport

According to a Thursday report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, former Blue Devil AJ Griffin is debating whether he should leave the game.

In a stunning Thursday report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, former Duke basketball star AJ Griffin is debating whether or not he should walk away from the game of basketball.

Griffin, who spent one season with the Blue Devils in 2021-22, has only been in the NBA for two seasons.

The Atlanta Hawks drafted him with the 16th overall pick in 2022, just months after he helped lead Duke to the Final Four, and he showed plenty of promise as a rookie. Griffin averaged 8.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in his first NBA campaign, playing 19.5 minutes per game and even appearing in the starting lineup 12 times.

However, Griffin appeared to take a step back in his sophomore season. He only took the court 20 times in 2023-24, averaging 2.4 points per game, and his 3-point percentage plummeted from 39.0% to 25.6%. The Hawks traded him to the Houston Rockets earlier this offseason.

Charania’s report did not include any potential reasons for why Griffin would step away from the sport, but the longtime NBA insider didn’t make it sound like there was much of a decision left to make.

“Sides are preparing for his departure from the game,” Charania wrote.

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1834329384498454746

Griffin, who turned 21 years old last month, averaged 10.4 points and made 44.7% of his 3-point attempts during his lone collegiate season.

AJ Griffin may leave basketball 2 years after he was a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft

Griffin was selected No. 16 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Once one of the top prospects in the entire world, AJ Griffin is reportedly considering stepping away from the game of basketball.

Griffin, who was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and the top-rated player in the state of New York, was a McDonald’s All-American. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils and was named ACC All-Freshman in 2022.

While he missed part of his one-and-done season due to injuries, he was then selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

After averaging 19.5 minutes across 72 games as a rookie, Griffin did not get as much playing time for the Hawks during his second professional season. It ended with 8.5 minutes per game across just 20 appearances.

Earlier during the offseason, he was traded from the Hawks to the Rockets.

While he played in NBA 2K25 Summer League for Houston and appeared in the starting lineup each game he played, on Thursday The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Griffin is “seriously considering” stepping away from the sport.

The forward has battled various injuries and is the son of former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin.

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Former Duke basketball star AJ Griffin traded to Houston Rockets

A second Duke basketball player got traded on Thursday afternoon when the Atlanta Hawks dealt AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets.

For the second time in an hour, a member of the 2021-22 Duke basketball team got traded on Thursday afternoon.

Shortly after the Minnesota Timberwolves sent Wendell Moore Jr. to the Detroit Pistons, the Atlanta Hawks dealt AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the trade. The Hawks got the 44th pick in the 2024 NBA draft as compensation just a few hours before the second round got underway.

Griffin, a five-star prospect from the Class of 2021, entered Durham as 247Sports’ 12th-ranked freshman. He helped guide the Blue Devils to the Final Four alongside Moore and No. 1 draft pick Paolo Banchero.

Griffin averaged 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds during his only season with the Blue Devils, including a career-high 27 points during his first game against North Carolina.

Griffin has played 92 games across his two-year NBA career. He stood out as a rookie, averaging 8.9 points per game and making 39.0% of his 3-pointers with 12 starting appearances. The 2023-24 season was bumpier for the young Blue Devil, however. He only appeared in 20 games, averaging 2.4 points in 8.6 minutes per game and making just 25.6% of his threes.

Griffin is still just 20 years old.

Report: Bulls have shown trade interest in 20-year-old wing

According to a recent report, the Chicago Bulls have shown an interest in a potential trade for Atlanta Hawks wing AJ Griffin.

As the NBA trade deadline rapidly approaches, lots of eyes will be glued to the Chicago Bulls, who have long been considered one of the top sellers. Despite their recent success, having pulled themselves up into the Play-In Tournament race, they could still be looking to shake things up and move away from their current core.

Zach LaVine’s name has consistently popped up in rumors, DeMar DeRozan is in the final year of his contract, and Alex Caruso is a 3-and-D guard that lots of contenders would love to get their hands on. The Bulls have shown a relative unwillingness to completely rebuild, but taking on more young pieces could be worthwhile.

According to Matt Moore of Action Network, the Bulls are one of a handful of teams to have expressed a potential interest in a trade for Atlanta Hawks wing AJ Griffin.

“In other Atlanta news, the Bulls, Rockets and Knicks have expressed interest in AJ Griffin, who has fallen out of the rotation under Quin Snyder this season,” Moore wrote when detailing Atlanta’s potential trade deadline plans.

The Hawks have struggled mightily this season, as the Bulls’ recent surge has led to them being completely out of the Play-In race at the moment. In turn, they’re expected to make some sort of significant move at the deadline.

Griffin has struggled this season after a successful rookie campaign. So far this year, he’s averaging 2.5 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.3 assists while shooting just 30.8% from the floor and 31.0% from behind the three-point line.

That said, at just 20 years old, he’s shown the ability to act as a solid 3-and-D player, so it may be worth it for the Bulls to take a chance on him if the opportunity presents itself in the right trade.

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Report: Rockets have shown trade interest in Atlanta’s AJ Griffin

The Rockets are among three teams to have expressed trade interest in Atlanta’s AJ Griffin, per veteran NBA scribe Matt Moore (@HPBasketball).

As the NBA’s 2023-24 in-season trade deadline approaches in early February, backup center has long been a rumored position of interest for the Houston Rockets. But could general manager Rafael Stone potentially have interest in adding more 3-point shooting?

According to veteran NBA scribe Matt Moore, who is now with The Action Network, second-year Atlanta Hawks forward AJ Griffin appears to be of at least some interest to the Rockets.

In his latest column, which explores the possibility of bigger transactions for the underachieving Hawks, Moore writes:

The Bulls, Rockets and Knicks have expressed interest in AJ Griffin, who has fallen out of the rotation under Quin Snyder this season.

Griffin, drafted No. 16 overall in the 2022 first round (one spot in front of Houston’s Tari Eason), averaged 8.9 points in 19.5 minutes as a rookie, shooting 46.5% overall and 39% on 3-pointers. He’s a versatile 6-foot-6 forward who turned 20 years old last offseason.

But the second-year player out of Duke has largely fallen out of Atlanta’s rotation in his sophomore 2023-24 season. He is averaging 2.5 points in 9.0 minutes per game and just 13 games played.

Houston owns three second-round picks in the 2024 NBA draft, but the Rockets are unlikely to have roster room for that many players next season. Thus, a consolidation trade for a player like Griffin, who needs a change of scenery, could make sense.

For now, stay tuned! The 2023-24 in-season trade deadline arrives in just under one month on Thursday, Feb. 8.

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Adrian Griffin had such a wholesome reaction to watching his son in Rising Stars game

Griffin was among the 11 first-year players in the Rising Stars game on Friday, and the rookie had plenty of fans in attendance.

Atlanta Hawks forward AJ Griffin was among the 11 first-year players to participate in the NBA Rising Stars game on Friday, and the rookie had plenty of fans in attendance to watch him.

Among them: His father.

Adrian Griffin is an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors. He played in the NBA for nine years and even suited up in the first Rising Stars game during the 1999-00 season as a member of the Boston Celtics.

AJ played for Team Deron on Friday and recorded three points, one rebound and one steal in a loss to the eventual champions, Team Pau. The opportunity to watch AJ in the showcase was very meaningful for Adrian.

AJ talks to his father every day, despite the two being on different teams. Adrian watches AJ play as much as he can, and will often send him film to watch. He will also offer him feedback on his performances to help AJ develop on the court.

He earned the selection after averaging 9.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and one assist in 55 games on 47.7% shooting from the field. He is second among all rookies in 3-point percentage (39.4) and fourth in total 3s (82) at this point of the season.

AJ and Adrian became the second father-son duo to appear in the Rising Stars game, joining Domantas Sabonis and Arvydas Sabonis. AJ called it an honor to compete in the event at All-Star Weekend.

“It is a dream come true,” AJ said on Friday “I’m reaching these accomplishments early on in my career, I think it just shows how the blueprint and the hard work (I’ve) been putting in and continue to stay the course.”

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NBA Rising Stars 2023: Full rosters revealed in draft announcement

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2023 NBA Rising Stars game.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2023 NBA Rising Stars competition set to take place on Feb. 17 as part of All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The showcase will feature four seven-player teams competing in a mini-tournament consisting of three games for the second straight year. Each game will be played to a final target score, meaning a game will end with a made basket or a made free throw instead of a running clock.

The pool of 28 players for the game consists of 11 first-year players, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The rookies and sophomores were selected by assistant coaches, and the G League players were chosen by the league office.

The G League players will comprise one of the four teams.

The three teams from the NBA will be coached by Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Deron Williams. The three former players each selected seven players to their teams on Tuesday in an order determined by career All-Star appearances: Gasol (6), Williams (3) and Noah (2).

Here are the four rosters for the NBA Rising Stars competition.

NBA Rising Stars 2023: Player pool revealed for annual showcase

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 17.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 17 as part of All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The showcase game will feature four seven-player teams competing in a mini-tournament consisting of three games for the second straight year. Each game will be played to a final target score, meaning a game will end with a made basket or a made free throw instead of a running clock.

The pool of 28 players for the game consists of 11 first-year players, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The rookies and sophomores were selected by assistant coaches and the G League players were chosen by the league office.

The 21 NBA players were selected by assistant coaches across the league. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position, in order of preference.

The three NBA teams will be coached by Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Deron Williams. Jazz assistant coach Jason Terry, who previously coached the Grand Rapids Gold, will lead the G League team. Assistants from the All-Star Game staffs will also coach in the event.

TNT will televise the competition beginning at 9 p.m. EST.

Rookie Power Rankings: Jaden Ivey is efficiently finding his way for Pistons

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2022-23 season.

The 2022-23 season is through the much-anticipated Christmas Day slate of games as the NBA schedule progresses toward the start of a new year.

The rookie class looks to be rounding into form with several first-year players performing at a high level. The latest group of standouts includes several high picks along with others drafted down the board emerging.

To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.