3 high-risk, high-reward players Knicks could draft at No. 11
By Adam Kester
2. AJ Griffin
AJ Griffin has been talked about as a potential franchise player in the NBA since high school. Unfortunately for him, he’s dealt with a myriad of injuries over his short career, and it’s certainly affected his draft stock.
Griffin suffered two major injuries in high school and had some nagging ones throughout his lone season at Duke. Even with the injury history, Griffin could still very well be drafted within the top 10. That’s just how juicy his potential is. The Knicks had Team President Leon Rose and Head Coach Tom Thibodeau in attendance for Griffin’s draft showcase the other week.
From a physical standpoint, Griffin looks like he was built in a lab. He’s 6’6 with a 7-foot wingspan and has an extraordinarily muscular and filled-out frame. He looks like a modern NBA wing. Then there’s the skillset. Griffin posted lights-out shooting numbers at Duke. He shot 44.7% from three and 79.2% from the free-throw line. He’s got a nice array of ball handling moves and an athletic layup package.
It’s easy to see why some people are so high on him and his potential. He’s still just 18-years-old. Yet some will point to Griffin’s stockpiling injuries as a reason to be cautious. There is some worry about his health long-term and his vertical explosiveness. While he can still be a good player because of his size and shooting, his lack of burst could severely limit his upside.
Teams picking within the top 10 might be nervous about selecting Griffin. If he’s sitting there when New York’s on the clock at 11, he could be a franchise-altering pick if he can grow into the star some think he can be.