There’s a very real chance that a player selected in the 2022 NBA Draft will already walk away from the game.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Houston Rockets forward AJ Griffin is “seriously considering” stepping away from basketball.
Charania had this to add to his report: “Sides are preparing for his departure from the game.”
Griffin, 21, was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 16th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He averaged 8.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game as a rookie.
Unfortunately for Griffin, his production took a major hit this past season. The Duke product only averaged 2.4 points per contest for the Hawks. To be fair, he only appeared in 20 games due to various injuries.
A few months ago, the Hawks traded Griffin to the Rockets in a three-team deal.
Once NBA fans saw this report from Charania, they posted kind words about Griffin on social media. No one really wants to see him retire at such a young age.
“Hope everything’s good with him,” one fan said.
Another fan tweeted, “Wishing the dude all the best as he deals with whatever this may be.”
“I feel bad for him,” a third fan wrote. “Hoping he figures it out. He was solid that first year in Atlanta.”
Griffin, a former McDonald’s All-American, showed during the 2022-23 season that he can be an impact player in the NBA.
We’re hoping that Griffin is at peace with whatever decision he chooses to make this offseason.
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