One of the most talented players selected in the 2022 NBA Draft is seriously considering retirement after two seasons in the NBA.
Many NBA players dream their entire lives of hearing their name called on draft night. And while some players selected in the draft have the opportunity to have long careers in the league, others often have to hang up their sneakers before they get the chance to showcase their talent.
AJ Griffin was selected 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Duke prodigy entered the league with the talent to be a steal in the middle of the first round. And after an impressive rookie season, averaging 8.9 points on 46.5 percent shooting and 39 percent from three-point range, the forward appeared poised to take a leap forward in his sophomore year.
However, the ACC product saw his production limited in 2023 after an injury ended his season. In just 20 games that year, Griffin averaged 2.4 points on 29 percent shooting. Between his early struggles and the injury, Atlanta opted to trade the youngster on draft night in a trade with the Rockets. But after just two seasons under his belt, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the 21-year-old is seriously considering joining the club. to walk away from the game of basketball.
As the Rockets prepare for the loss of Griffin, they could look to the free agent market to bolster their wing depth heading into the season.
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