AJ Griffin, the former blue-chip high school prospect who spent the first two seasons of his NBA career suiting up for the Atlanta Hawks, is reportedly considering calling it a career. According to Shams Charania and Kelly Iko of The Athletic, both Griffin and his current team, the Houston Rockets, are planning for him to announce that he is leaving basketball altogether.
It is unclear why Griffin, who turned 21 at the end of August, would choose to step away from the game. He’s coming off of a difficult year for the Hawks, as he only appeared in 20 games due in part to lingering leg issues. He also missed the start of the year for personal reasons, and told the press when he returned to the team in December, “I would say that I am glad to be back. The team has been great to be able to support me through that time stepping away for a little, just for personal reasons. I definitely want to keep it brief and not put it all out there.”
The No. 16 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Duke, Griffin showed some promise during his first year with the Hawks, as he appeared in 72 games and averaged 8.9 points per game on 39 percent shooting from three. Atlanta sent him to Houston for the 44th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft earlier this offseason.