NBA star AJ Griffin ‘seriously considering QUITTING the sport’ – just two years after being drafted in the first round
- 21-year-old AJ Griffin was selected 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 2022
- He played two seasons before being traded to the Houston Rockets in June
Houston Rockets star AJ Griffin is reportedly considering retiring from the NBA at the age of 21.
Griffin was selected 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 2022 and played two seasons before being traded to the Houston Rockets in June of this year.
Griffin, the son of former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin, has yet to play a game for his new team, but The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that he is now “seriously considering” leaving the sport altogether.
The report suggests that both sides are preparing for his departure. Griffin, currently in the third year of his four-year, $17.1 million rookie contract, could be on the verge of retirement.
In his rookie season with the Hawks, the former first-round pick played in 72 games, starting 12 of them, and averaged 19.5 minutes per game.
Houston Rockets star AJ Griffin is considering retiring from the NBA at 21
The small forward is the son of former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin (right)
However, his role diminished when he struggled with an ankle injury in his second year in the NBA. He played in just 20 games, averaging 8.6 minutes per game last season.
After his production declined, the Hawks decided to let him go in late June this offseason.
Atlanta traded Griffin to the Rockets for the 44th pick in this year’s draft. That pick was then traded to Miami for the rights to guard/forward Nikola Djurisic of Serbia.
Griffin (center) talks to Jalen Williams after being drafted in the first round in June 2022
Griffin played for the Rockets this summer during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, but the forward could leave the game altogether before playing for his new team in the regular season.
News of his potential departure comes less than three weeks before the start of training camp, with the 2024-25 season set to kick off on October 22.
The Rockets finished the 2023-24 season with a 41-41 record, narrowly missing out on a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament.
His departure would leave the Rockets with less depth at small forward and less competition for Cam Whitmore, Jae’Sean Tate and Tari Eason at the position.