Duke basketball freshman hits halfcourt heave on first attempt

Duke basketball newcomer AJ Griffin might be the answer for buzzer-beaters.

Both AJ Griffin and Paolo Banchero moved to Durham earlier this month with a five-star rating after finishing among the top 15 on the 247Sports 2021 Composite (Griffin at No. 15, Banchero at No. 2). Each of Duke basketball’s heralded freshman forwards has since displayed a vertical leap beyond 40 inches.

By doing so, they came within just a few inches of the 44-inch program record that Cassius Stanley set two years ago; at 43 inches, the 2018 mark from Zion Williamson still sits No. 2 among all-time Blue Devils.

Then this week, Banchero drained a fullcourt shot — Hail Mary style — while appearing to just be enjoying some fun time inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.

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But the Seattle native didn’t disclose how many attempts his splash ultimately required.

AJ Griffin giving signs of Duke basketball halfcourt heroism ahead

Meanwhile, Duke basketball’s official Twitter account also advertised a long-range feat from AJ Griffin this week. And judging from the following tweet, it sounds and looks as if the New York product needed only one try to tickle nets from the center of the logo at halfcourt.

Smooth release and follow-through. Never in doubt. Little to no rim. Just money from the 6-foot-6, 220-pound Griffin. Dropping in just as the team video shoot came to a close.

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Yes, that’s about as clutch as it gets for late June.

Overall, it suffices to say — at least during essentially meaningless moments when defenders are nowhere to be found — that AJ Griffin and Paolo Banchero have delivered as much excitement as anyone could expect from the potential one-and-done lottery picks at this infant stage of their Blue Devil experience.