5-Star 2021 SF Prospect AJ Griffin Verbally Commits to 'Dream School' Duke

Duke's dominance of the college basketball recruiting landscape does not appear to be ending anytime soon.

Forward AJ Griffin, who is currently ranked eighth in 247Sports rankings for the 2021 class, announced his intention to join the Blue Devils on Monday. 

“I picked Duke because when I went on the visit and just before that when they came to visit me on the first day they showed me that I’m their number one priority and I meant a lot to them,” Griffin said, per Evan Daniels of 247Sports. “I felt like we had a connection from the start and I belonged at that place. I think they can help me get to the next level. I feel like they can help my game improve.”

Griffin called Duke his "dream school" in an interview with ESPN's Paul Biancardi. 

The son of former NBA player Adrian Griffin, AJ stars at White Plains (New York) Archbishop Stepinac and is the third-ranked small forward in his class. He stands out with his combination of advanced shooting ability and athleticism at 6'7" and should be able to defend three positions at the collegiate level.

Duke had competition from the likes of Villanova, Kentucky and Michigan but was considered a heavy favorite. The Blue Devils have had the nation's top-ranked recruiting class in three of the last four years and are currently the top-ranked team in 2020. 

Few top-tier members of the 2021 class have committed; Griffin and Kentucky commit Devin Askew are the only top-10 players in the class to give their verbals. Classes should begin to fill out as the basketball season progresses, and if history is any indication, Griffin will be flanked with at least two or three more 5-star athletes.