Duke basketball loses a key freshman, a potential starting forward, to injury
With the start of the regular season four weeks away, one of Duke’s top freshmen is sidelined with a knee injury.
AJ Griffin, a 6-foot-6 forward who was a five-start recruit, suffered a sprained knee in practice Friday and will be sidelined an indefinite period of time.
An MRI exam Friday night revealed no significant structural damage to the knee, Duke officials said in a statement.
Rated as the No. 9 overall player in the Class of 2021 by ESPN, Griffin was projected as a starter for the Blue Devils. Duke opens the season Nov. 9 against Kentucky at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
The Blue Devils also have games against projected Top 25 teams Gonzaga (Nov. 26) and Ohio State (Nov. 30) over the season’s first month.
This is the third season in a row Griffin has been sidelined by injury. A knee injury cut short his junior season at Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains, New York. He averaged 17.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals over his 12 games played that season.
The current injury is to the other knee, however.
Despite missing the entire 2020-21 season with an ankle injury, Griffin was named to the McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic game rosters.
Griffin, 6-11 forward Paolo Banchero and 6-4 guard Trevor Keels gave Duke three five-star players in its incoming freshmen class.
Without Griffin, a skilled wing with solid shooting ability, Duke would need to rely even more on 6-5 junior Wendell Moore in the early going if Griffin misses any games.
This story was originally published October 9, 2021 at 12:35 PM.