A Duke basketball signee will not take the court again until his arrival in Durham.
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc not only on collegiate and professional sports but also on the high school level, and one Duke basketball commit is now feeling those effects.
Adrian Griffin Jr., the first member of the Class of 2021 to commit to the Blue Devils, will not play in an organized basketball game until he arrives in Durham next summer.
As the pandemic rages on across the country, the state of New York, along with the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, has made the decision to indefinitely cancel all ‘high-risk’ sporting events, which includes basketball.
The announcement is expected to be made official on Friday afternoon.
All state championships in winter sports have also been canceled, the second straight year that decision has been made because of the pandemic beginning in March.
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Despite obvious on-court workouts and secret pickup games among friends, this means that the 6-foot-7 small forward will not play in an organized basketball game until early November when he is on the floor as a freshman for the Duke Blue Devils.
One of the two current recruits signed with Duke for next season will have gone 19 months without playing in an organized basketball game, from March 2020 to November 2021, pending the NCAA allows the 2021-22 season to begin on time.
In the meantime, Duke fans can drool over the star’s junior year highlights:
The Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) star could not get on the court last summer either because of the recruiting dead period and the cancellation of many AAU tournaments and scouting events.
Adrian Griffin Jr. is ranked as a five-star recruit and the No. 6 player in the Class of 2021, No. 2 small forward, and No. 1 player in the state of New York, according to the 247 Sports Composite Rankings.
Duke basketball recruiting efforts continue to move forward
After Mike Krzyzewski was able to lock down Griffin Jr. and O’Dea High School (Wash.) star Paolo Banchero, the Hall of Famer is staying busy on the recruiting trail despite restrictions.
The Blue Devils are still courting Patrick Baldwin Jr., who just avoided a potentially disastrous injury, plus Trevor Keels and Charles Bediako.
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Duke seems to have the best chance to land Baldwin Jr., who has talked with Griffin Jr. and Banchero about teaming up in Durham, and Keels while Bediako seems to be destined to land in Tuscaloosa with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Adrian Griffin Jr. and Paolo Banchero combined to create the No. 28 recruiting class next season, although that is expected to rise in the coming months.
Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball recruiting news and views.