Duke basketball: Five-star recruit sounds infatuated with Blue Devils

Whispers about a prep’s admiration for Duke basketball keep getting louder.

There have been no official reports of contact between the Duke basketball staff and Hightower (Texas) point guard Bryce Griggs, who ranks No. 21 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite. Yet as noted here at Ball Durham earlier this week, there is a growing buzz on the recruiting trail regarding the electric five-star’s perceived Blue Devil aspirations.

Griggs has validated that talk by offering some high praise for Mike Krzyzewski and all things Blue Devils during a recent chat with 247Sports:

“It’s really a one-and-done school. If you go there, it’s strictly business. Coach K has a historical background, so I’m ready for that. I watch [former Duke one-and-done Kyrie Irving]…one of my favorite players. I got the chance to speak to [Irving], and he said Duke is a great school to go to not only for basketball but for life and academics.”

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Griggs, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound hoops artist with a silky stroke and even silkier handles, continued to hint at a possible Duke basketball future:

“You’re plugged in for life with them on and off the court. Anytime you need something, you can always go back to Duke.”

But Griggs, who wore the tag of a potential No. 1 prospect when he was in middle school, wasn’t finished alluding to his Duke fandom. No, he also brought up his bond with former Blue Devil guard Daniel Ewing, who happens to hail from his same hometown of Missouri City, Texas:

“I work out with Daniel Ewing every day with TJ Ford. They’re very tough on me because they see I have the potential to go to the league. They teach me the stuff to be a pro.”

A breakdown of the potential Duke basketball target’s game

The scouting report from Jerry Meyer of 247Sports — not to mention the above mixtape — seems to back up Griggs’ assertion that he’s on track to become a prime NBA prospect (and perhaps a one-and-done college player in the process):

“Griggs can pretty much get a shot any time he wants and can pretty much make any shot he can get. He is a compact player who can score moving any direction…[His] unconventional style utilizes a change of pace and unique angles. Loves hop-backs, side-steps, and step-throughs. Has a slick handle.”

Now, in addition to his complimentary words regarding Duke, Griggs did speak highly about Kansas and Memphis during the interview. Plus, unlike Duke, both Kansas and Memphis are among the nine or so programs to have extended an offer to the dazzling bucket-getter.

Coach K has still yet to enter a race for any current high school juniors. However, coupling the projected need in Durham for a 2022 point guard with the obvious interest coming from Bryce Griggs — who has expressed no hurry in choosing a school — it wouldn’t be a shock if he becomes one of the first Duke targets from his class.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball recruiting news and views.