NYers Gauge Pro Stock At NBA Draft Combine
During his heyday alongside dazzling 6-foot-1 point guard RJ Davis (now at North Carolina) at Stepinac HS, AJ Griffin levitated above the rim, soared above defenders, and crushed extravagant dunks only a special core of athletes can even simulate at the high school level. As a bigger built 6-foot-7, 225-pound wing with power and a refined skill set, Griffin was instrumental in helping catapult Stepinac to a 2018 NYS Federation championship.
High major Division I coaches soon began arriving at Stepinac in droves and attending open gyms, practices, in-house runs, and games. While recruiting the Davis as well, the sea of coaches were all jockeying for a shot at the hotly coveted Griffin.
He wound up at Duke, where Griffin recently culminated his freshman season with an All-ACC freshman nod and an Honorable Mention All-ACC. Griffin averaged 10 points and proved he could hit the deep jumper with consistency--with a 6-for-10 from 3-point range, 20-point performance during a win over Syracuse back in February indicative of this.
Griffin's draft stock grew, grew, and grew during the stretch run of Duke's season. He widened eyes with a 21-point performance during a resounding win over Miami in the ACC championship. During Duke's Elite 8 win over Arkansas, Griffin put his entire arsenal on display with an 18-point performance.
Griffin and Duke's NCAA tournament ride, along with the career of iconic Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski (who has since retired) would come to a devastating, screeching halt in the 2022 Final Four.
The Blue Devils lost to a heated, hated, and traditional blood rival in North Carolina, 81-77, on April 2. It was coach K's final game and Griffin’s final game as a collegiate athlete, depending how he fares at the culmination of the ongoing Combine in Chicago.
The intriguing local subplot of the Duke/UNC Final Four was the matchup between former Stepinac teammates Griffin and Davis. In several pre-game interviews with various media outlets, both the former teammates likened their friendship to a brotherhood.
Griffin, who is the son of former NBA forward Adrian Griffin, has met with the Sacramento Kings during the NBA Combine. The Kings have the fourth overall pick in the draft.
Some pre-draft services have Griffin being selected as early as no.5, others have him further down the line and cite a recent history of injuries as a concern.
Draft gurus and analysts emphasize his ability to shoot off high screens, create his own shot, and the IQ of the NBA game gained from his father as aspects working in the Stepinac alum's favor.
Meanwhile, this is not the first NBA Draft waters testing rendezvous for Kofi Cockburn, the former Christ The King behemoth.
Cockburn, who is from Jamaica originally, averaged 20 points and 11 boards at Illinois this season. Cockburn has been eye opening during his play at the NBA Combine in Chicago, cementing his status as draft worthy.
The 7-foot, 280-pound big scored 15 points on seven shot attempts and tore down 11 rebounds during the second game of 5 on 5 action in the event.
Local NYC product Julian Champagnie, who played at Bishop Loughlin HS under Ed Gonzalez, scored 14 points during Team Curry's win over Team Weaver during Day 1 of live action at the Combine.
Champagnie's unique blend of size at 6-foot-8, isolation scoring, and consistent deep jumper all make him a unique choice.
He's a presence on the glass and his ability to create his own shot and also score consistently in one on one situations have been evident at the Combine. Champagnie shouldered significant offensive weight for St. John's this past season, averaging 19 points and erupting for 34 points and 16 boards during a win over DePaul back in January.
While his NBA draft stock heightened at the time, he's projected by most draft analysts to land as a late first rounder or mid to late second rounder.