NBA Draft Scouting Report: Alabama's Rylan Griffen

Scouting Report: Rylan Griffen

Contents

1. Prospect Profile
2. Highlights
3. Draft Projection
4. 2024 Big Board

Rylan Griffen

Guard | Alabama

Height: 6'6” | Weight: 190 lbs

2024 Draft Age: 20.50

Julie Bennett-USA TODAY Sports

Prospect Profile

Set to have a potential breakout sophomore season, Griffen is a 3-and-D guard with wing size and a fascinating skillset. In year two at Alabama, he should have a much larger opportunity to shine. While he played in all 37 games last season, he wasn’t in a primary role.

Griffen is crafty with the ball in his hands for a player of his size. He plays with more finesse than he does power or explosion, but still has no problem getting by his defender to score inside the arc. He’s best when getting to the rim and has great touch close to the basket. He’s also effective in transition and in the midrange.

We saw some flashes of self-creation last season, but he should have a chance to do a lot more of that this season. It’s all about increasing volume while also learning to be more efficient from the floor. Griffen has a fluid jumper and shot it well from the corners last season. He’s comfortable shooting on the move and firing when contested, but converted on only 30% of his triples overall last season. With that in mind, he has a projectable jumper and should naturally improve with more reps.

Outside of scoring, Griffen could improve his stock by showing more passing upside and increasing his rebounding production. A more well-rounded game would do a lot for him as it relates to being evaluated by NBA teams.

Griffen notched 22 total steals last season and showed flashes of being disruptive on defense. He can guard three positions and has also gotten stronger since his freshman campaign, which will help even more moving forward. There’s no question he has upside as a versatile defender, but we’ll need to see it in action as a sophomore.

The Alabama prospect is a former four-star recruit from Richardson, TX where he played alongside former Kentucky and current OKC Thunder guard Cason Wallace. He was one of the better players of his archetype in his high school class, but has needed more time than some others to fully carve out a role and reach his ceiling at the college level. There’s a good chance Griffen takes a big leap this in year two and is a very draftable prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft. Despite playing two college seasons, he won't turn 21 until after the start of the 2024-25 NBA season.

Highlights

Draft Projection

Second-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft.

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2024 Big Board

Want to know more about other potential 2024 NBA Draft prospects and where they might get selected? Check out our Draft Digest Big Board.

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