Pros and cons of Atlanta Hawks taking AJ Griffin of Duke basketball in 2022 NBA draft

Duke basketball freshman AJ Griffin became the second member of his family to become an NBA draft pick.

Griffin, whose father, Adrian Griffin, played nine NBA seasons and is an assistant coach for the Raptors, was selected No. 16 overall in the first round by the Atlant Hawks on Thursday.

The 6-foot-6 forward from White Plains, New York, was the Blue Devils' best 3-point shooter during last season's run to the Final Four and progressed quickly after an early season right knee injury slowed his progress with the Blue Devils' offense.

He was the third Duke player taken in the draft after Paolo Banchero was taken No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic and Mark Williams was selected No. 15 by Charlotte.

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"You are getting a kid who can shoot, he’s going to be able to put the ball on the floor and create shots," Duke assistant coach Chris Carrawell said last week. "His body, I don’t even know if he even understands his body yet. He’s got a great build and he’s got a similar build to Jimmy Butler at this age. So, his best basketball is ahead of him as well."

The positives

Griffin, who won't turn 19 until August, began his freshman season as a highly touted prospect but with plenty of question marks due to two previous years of injuries that had mostly kept him off the basketball court.

He emerged as Duke's best shooter — hitting 45% on 3-pointers — and became a proven shot creator with his 6-6 size and 220-pound frame. He averaged 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds for the Blue Devils and has the ability to heat up in an instant.

During a mid-season win against UNC, Griffin scored 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including scoring 10 straight points in the second half. He's also cool and collected, especially for one of the youngest players in the draft.

"I think last year was a great learning experience, with having all the lights on you, knowing how to deal with it and playing through it,” Griffin told media members on Monday.

The concerns

There are still worries about his defensive ability and the possibilities of old injuries slowing him down. He's still a work in progress, but he has as much potential upside as any other player in the draft.

David Thompson is an award-winning reporter for the USA Today Network covering NC State and Duke athletics. He can be reached at dthompson1@gannett.com, at 828-231-1747, or on Twitter at @daveth89.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Atlanta Hawks pick Duke basketball's AJ Griffin in 2022 NBA Draft