Welcome to Duke AJ Griffin!

[TheOldBattleship]

Heard that the coaching staff compared him to RJ. But what about Len Bias? Still makes me sad to think of Len, but he was so solidly built, good ball skills, athletic, good shot. Something about AJ just reminds me of Len.

It's always tough to come up with truly accurately comps for any prospect, much less someone who is still just 16, but I liked the Jaylen Brown comparisons I've seen floating around. Griffin is maybe slightly less explosive but smoother with the ball in his hands and a better shooter than Brown was (or possibly is). Brown catches a lot of flack (especially after he signed his big new contract), but he's a really good player, and given that two of his biggest issues are handle and jumper, that comparison bodes REALLY well for Griffin.

On a non-comparing note, it's exciting to see us out of the gates early here. Fingers crossed for a snowball effect with some other guys in the class!

[roywhite]

What a huge signing, especially this early. Here's to his continued health and development.

With he and teammate RJ Davis, it's a bit like a Gerald Henderon/Wayne Ellington scenario in terms of friends and teammates headed to opposite sides of the 15-501 rivalry...although Davis is a senior this year.

Welcome aboard, AJ. I hope to catch you in person this season.

Yeah, JD King mentions this also in his piece on Griffin:

As you may remember, his teammate, RJ Davis, has committed to UNC. If he stays past his freshman year, that would be yet another high school Dynamic Duo that went to opposite ends of 15-501, joining the likes of Gerald Henderson/Wayne Ellington and Jim Spanarkel/Mike O’ Koren. Art Heyman and Larry Brown were not high school teammates but were both New Yorkers and close friends they chose opposing schools. We think there were some others but we can't recall them right now.

Another example that comes to mind is of Ambridge, PA HS teammates (state champs in 1967) Dick DeVenzio to Duke and Dennis Wuycik (a year behind) to UNC. Their Ambridge team, which also included big man Frank Kaufman, who went on to Purdue, is considered one of the best in PA basketball history. Dick DeVenzio passed away in 2001.

Here's a nice piece from a local newspaper on the 1967 Ambridge team. http://www.ambridgeconnection.com/lo...th-anniversary

The National Prep poll named the Ambridge team the No. 1 team in the country after the close of the 1967 season. The team went 27-0 and was led by standout players who went on to play at various colleges after their stint in Beaver County. Wuycik, junior forward, later played at North Carolina and led the Tar Heels to an NIT championship and to an NCAA Final Four appearance. The late Dick DeVenzio, a senior who was Coach Chuck DeVenzio’s son and point guard, led a successful team at Duke and later played internationally. Kaufman, who will be delivering the keynote address, played center for Purdue.

[jimsumner]

Yeah, JD King mentions this also in his piece on Griffin:

As you may remember, his teammate, RJ Davis, has committed to UNC. If he stays past his freshman year, that would be yet another high school Dynamic Duo that went to opposite ends of 15-501, joining the likes of Gerald Henderson/Wayne Ellington and Jim Spanarkel/Mike O’ Koren. Art Heyman and Larry Brown were not high school teammates but were both New Yorkers and close friends they chose opposing schools. We think there were some others but we can't recall them right now.

Another example that comes to mind is of Ambridge, PA HS teammates (state champs in 1967) Dick DeVenzio to Duke and Dennis Wuycik (a year behind) to UNC. Their Ambridge team, which also included big man Frank Kaufman, who went on to Purdue, is considered one of the best in PA basketball history. Dick DeVenzio passed away in 2001.

Here's a nice piece from a local newspaper on the 1967 Ambridge team. http://www.ambridgeconnection.com/lo...th-anniversary

The National Prep poll named the Ambridge team the No. 1 team in the country after the close of the 1967 season. The team went 27-0 and was led by standout players who went on to play at various colleges after their stint in Beaver County. Wuycik, junior forward, later played at North Carolina and led the Tar Heels to an NIT championship and to an NCAA Final Four appearance. The late Dick DeVenzio, a senior who was Coach Chuck DeVenzio’s son and point guard, led a successful team at Duke and later played internationally. Kaufman, who will be delivering the keynote address, played center for Purdue.

Jim Spanarkel and Mike O'Koren were prep teammates in Jersey City, with Spanarkel a year ahead of O'Koren.

[DevilHorse]

I noted that AJ's father played at Seton Hall, and I wondered, "No, not Eddie Griffin.. too young."
No, it was Adrian Griffin.

The athletic family is discussed in this article from 1.5 years ago:
https://davesjoint.net/2018/05/23/th...n-i-prospects/

and BTW, Welcome A.J. (Adrian Junior).

Larry
DevilHorse

[TruBlu]

Spanish announcers make everything better.

Any one else notice the barriers in front of the teams’ benches in that video? That, IMHO, would be a good idea for college games to keep certain coaches off the court during live action. Any coach leaving the fenced-in area during live action gets a technical. Could even have an electronic sensor to set of an alarm, removing any decision making by the refs, whose decision making is frequently questionable.

Welcome to Duke, AJ.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Any one else notice the barriers in front of the teams’ benches in that video? That, IMHO, would be a good idea for college games to keep certain coaches off the court during live action. Any coach leaving the fenced-in area during live action gets a technical. Could even have an electronic sensor to set of an alarm, removing any decision making by the refs, whose decision making is frequently questionable.

Welcome to Duke, AJ.

Great idea but also perhaps have the electronic sensor send a shock through the coach to really get the message across? And add a little comic relief while we're at it?

[DallasDevil]

Great idea but also perhaps have the electronic sensor send a shock through the coach to really get the message across? And add a little comic relief while we're at it?

What's the over/under on number of times per game Buzz gets buzzed?

[roywhite]

What's the over/under on number of times per game Buzz gets buzzed?

You'll have to keep an eye on him at TX A&M, DallasDevil. Not sorry to see Buzz leave the ACC. Yeah, his teams were tough to beat, esp. at home, but they played physical defense that seemed to go toward chippy or downright dirty sometimes.

[Troublemaker]

It's always tough to come up with truly accurately comps for any prospect, much less someone who is still just 16, but I liked the Jaylen Brown comparisons I've seen floating around. Griffin is maybe slightly less explosive but smoother with the ball in his hands and a better shooter than Brown was (or possibly is). Brown catches a lot of flack (especially after he signed his big new contract), but he's a really good player, and given that two of his biggest issues are handle and jumper, that comparison bodes REALLY well for Griffin.

I like the idea of modest comparisons (considering it's not *that* modest since Brown is an overall #3 pick and just extended for 4 years, 115 million), but I think we're talking different player-types here. Griffin projects to have the ball in his hands a lot more (can be a primary creator) and has better shooting touch than the career 66% FT shooter Brown.

[BD80]

Great idea but also perhaps have the electronic sensor send a shock through the coach to really get the message across? And add a little comic relief while we're at it?

Not sure ol' roy could handle an electric shock …


So I'm all for it!


If calipari got shocked, it would take weeks to rid the venue of the smell …

[TheOldBattleship]

I like the idea of modest comparisons (considering it's not *that* modest since Brown is an overall #3 pick and just extended for 4 years, 115 million), but I think we're talking different player-types here. Griffin projects to have the ball in his hands a lot more (can be a primary creator) and has better shooting touch than the career 66% FT shooter Brown.

Yeah, definitely more of a physical/defense-based comp; from what I've seen and as you say, Griffin is lot smoother (for better and worse: Brown's herky-jerkyness, so to speak, can be an advantage for him sometimes) with the ball in his hands and a better shooter. He's explosive, but probably not quite on Brown's quick twitch level (though that's probably partly because he's 16!). I really enjoyed seeing his passing in the few highlights I saw. He's got great vision and is willing to move it FAST and decisively.

On an unrelated note, I really like the continuation of the trend of K getting former players kids: it really speaks to the trust that the high-level, long-time basketball guys (even those completely unconnected to Duke otherwise) have in K and the program.

[evrim]

Kentucky folks still cling to that conspiracy theory by their coach Calipari.

https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/11/4...olverines-news

"
Speaking of, that Team USA pimpleine continues to run strong for Duke and Coach K, even though he’s no longer the head coach of the men’s national team."

Coach K is so good that even after he has left the Team USA years ago it still helps him! Coach K is amazing!

[flyingdutchdevil]

Kentucky folks still cling to that conspiracy theory by their coach Calipari.

https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/11/4...olverines-news

"
Speaking of, that Team USA pimpleine continues to run strong for Duke and Coach K, even though he’s no longer the head coach of the men’s national team."

Coach K is so good that even after he has left the Team USA years ago it still helps him! Coach K is amazing!

Conspiracy theory? It's not a conspiracy theory. Many of us here on DBR agree that Team USA has helped Duke recruiting. I actually don't think it's that disputable.

What Calipari argued is that it's not fair.

[BD80]

Conspiracy theory? It's not a conspiracy theory. Many of us here on DBR agree that Team USA has helped Duke recruiting. I actually don't think it's that disputable.

What Calipari argued is that it's not fair.

It is not fair that Team USA selected the best coach for the job?

Or that they asked that coach to continue his voluntary service upon demonstrating that he was clearly the best coach for the job?

I think calipari feels that, ONCE COACH K RIGHTED THE SHIP, MADE IT COOL TO PLAY FOR TEAM USA AGAIN, AND REESTABLISHED TEAM USA AS, BY FAR, THE PREMIER TEAM IN THE WORLD …

That he and maybe some other coaches should have had turns at the wheel as the Team USA ship plowed over hapless teams in its path. Kind of like me letting my young sons sit on my lap and steer the car through the neighborhood …

The conspiracy was allowing Coach K to stay on and solely reap the benefits of his efforts, rather than sharing the benefits with coaches that had not earned them.

[mkirsh]

Kentucky folks still cling to that conspiracy theory by their coach Calipari.

https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/11/4...olverines-news

"
Speaking of, that Team USA pimpleine continues to run strong for Duke and Coach K, even though he’s no longer the head coach of the men’s national team."

Coach K is so good that even after he has left the Team USA years ago it still helps him! Coach K is amazing!

Guess the UK fans conveniently forget that time when Cal coached the Dominican National team for 2 seasons to recruit KAT

https://www.sbnation.com/college-bas...nican-republic

(by the way this article is extra amazing given what happened a few nights after it was written)

[roywhite]

It is not fair that Team USA selected the best coach for the job?

Or that they asked that coach to continue his voluntary service upon demonstrating that he was clearly the best coach for the job?

I think calipari feels that, ONCE COACH K RIGHTED THE SHIP, MADE IT COOL TO PLAY FOR TEAM USA AGAIN, AND REESTABLISHED TEAM USA AS, BY FAR, THE PREMIER TEAM IN THE WORLD …

That he and maybe some other coaches should have had turns at the wheel as the Team USA ship plowed over hapless teams in its path. Kind of like me letting my young sons sit on my lap and steer the car through the neighborhood …

The conspiracy was allowing Coach K to stay on and solely reap the benefits of his efforts, rather than sharing the benefits with coaches that had not earned them.

Not to mention, it's not necessarily an easy gig. It's a different form of recruiting players, but Coach K excelled at it. Ask Pop if he thinks the job is a breeze.

[robed deity]

Conspiracy theory? It's not a conspiracy theory. Many of us here on DBR agree that Team USA has helped Duke recruiting. I actually don't think it's that disputable.

What Calipari argued is that it's not fair.

The idea that it wasn't/isn't fair is completely ridiculous. Asinine, even for UK fans.

[sagegrouse]

Not to mention, it's not necessarily an easy gig. It's a different form of recruiting players, but Coach K excelled at it. Ask Pop if he thinks the job is a breeze.

It's the subtle advantages: "We'll run plays for your son like we did for Kobe."

[BD80]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...ision-i-goals/

Another great parent for Cameron.

[CDu]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...ision-i-goals/

Another great parent for Cameron.

Wow, I hadn’t put it together that AJ Griffin is Adrian Griffin’s son (the J in AJ is apparently for “Jr”, sort of like the second “J” in JJ Redick). Adrian Griffin was a consummate professional. Hope AJ got those traits but with more skill!