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.”
