While the charm of NCAA basketball is slowly fading, many high school players still dream of donning uniforms of the best college teams. Among them is Duke Blue Devils new recruit, AJ Griffin.

The five-star prospect rejected offers from Kentucky, Illinois, Virginia, and Maryland, to join Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s esteemed program. Griffin played in the wing positions for Archbishop Stepinac High School and arrives at Durham with a lot of promise. In a recent interview, he explained why he chose the Blue Devils.

He said, “When I got there (for my visit), I could just feel the love from the fans. It really felt like a family once I got there. That just made the decision easier. I always had my eyes on Duke, but it just topped it off once I talked to (Coach) Scheyer and everyone there connected in like two seconds.”

Although getting multiple offers from top schools is a big deal, Griffin was always enamored with the idea of playing for the Blue Devils. Despite their lack of success in recent years, they are still one of the most legendary schools in the NCAA. And they also have a legendary coach in Krzyzewski. So this is what drew him to Duke.

Can Griffin help the Duke Blue Devils to return to greatness?

The Duke Blue Devils started scout Griffin early, and he reciprocated their interest by committing early as well. He chose Duke back in 2019, and now two years later, he finally gets to feature for his dream school. The early scouting for Duke has paid off, as Griffin has only improved since they initially offered him the scholarship.

Griffin is ranked as the second best forward from the 2021 class and the seventh best player in the nation. That will be enough for fans to be hyped about his arrival.

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The 6’7 forward isn’t the tallest at his position, but is definitely one of the most athletic. Not only can he finish strongly at the rim, but also prove to be a threat from the perimeter. His elite defense allows him to be able to guard from 2 to 4 and so he can also provide the option to play as a small ball power forward.

Early predictions already see him as a lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, so Griffin has a lot of expectations going into this season. Hopefully that brings the best out of him.