Sportblis presents you with some amazing facts about AJ Griffin. Our article covers Facts about his Girlfriend, Family, Parents, Brother, Sister, and much more.
Adrian Darnell “AJ” Griffin Jr. is an American basketball player. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The young lad was born on the 25th of August 2003 to his father, Adrian Griffin Sr., and mother, Audrey Griffin, in Dallas, Texas.
He is the youngest of the four kids that were born to his parents. Growing up in the company of his older siblings (Vanesssa, Alan & Aubrey), the small forward didn’t lack an atom of confidence in his endeavours.
Thanks to his siblings, his childhood days brim with exciting memories and experiences. AJ Griffin has always loved basketball since he was a little kid.
It was his lifelong dream to become a pro basketball player when he grew older. Nonetheless, Griffin’s family had a role to play to ensure he achieve his childhood aspirations.
Overcoming Difficult Hurdles:
As talented as he is, AJ’s basketball path has not been a smooth one. It was halted repeatedly by injuries in his high school and college career days.
Thankfully, his family often supported him and make sure he gets the proper treatment he needed to get back to his feet.
According to his fellow Duke freshman, Paolo Banchero, AJ Griffin worked very hard early in the season to recover from his injury and get back to the court.
Indeed, all credit for his work ethic goes to his father and the rest of his family members.
Read on as we gradually unravel the beautiful story of how the Griffin Family contributed to raising the sensational basketball player!
AJ Griffin Family:
The small forward comes from a household with an unprecedented amount of athletic genes. His talent is no coincidence, as his parents and siblings performed above average in different sports.
In his childhood days, AJ Griffin watched his dad perform excellently as an NBA star. He was 5 years old when his father (Griffin Sr.), retired from playing basketball.
A few years later, Griffin Sr. got a job as the assistant coach of the Chicago Bulls after working with the Milwaukee Bucks for about two years.
He occasionally took his kids to the arena to watch his team practice. Back then, AJ Griffin and his siblings were barely teenagers.
After the Bulls’ practice, Griffin and his children will take to the court to play a game or two. AJ often teams up with his brother, Alan, while their dad teams up with Aubrey.
It was usually a fun game and also a means to strengthen the bond between family. AJ and Alan often gave the games their entire might with an intention of winning every time they play.
But it was impossible for their young and inexperienced mind to beat the expertise of their father. Hence, they lost almost every match.
According to Griffin Sr. his sons usually get carried away when arguing and bickering about passing to each other. However, they eventually built their team spirit in no distant time.
AJ Griffin Ethnicity:
AJ Griffin is another promising American like Jaden Ivey and Shaedon Sharpe, who have the potential to make an excellent history like many other basketball greats.
The cool thing about them is their black skin completion. Yes, we’ve seen many black Americans like Bryant, LeBron, and Jordan displayed some level of unparalleled talent on the court.
This goes a long way to explain the fact that basketball is somehow linked to their heritage. On this note, we believe that AJ Griffin has a mixed Ethnicity comprising American and African family roots.
AJ Griffin Father – Adrian Darnell Griffin Sr.:
The young athlete was named after his dad, Adrian Darnell Griffin Sr. who was born on the 4th of July 1974.
Adrian was raised in Wichita, Kansas, where he played street basketball with his friends. He was a generational talent who stunned his entire fans during his collegiate career days at Seton Hall University.
Do you know?… AJ Griffin’s dad was not selected in the 1996 NBA Draft. But that didn’t stop him from pursuing his dreams of playing professional basketball.
He spent roughly three years in the American minor leagues. Of course, those days only marked the beginning of his wonderful adventure in the game.’
Adrian Griffin gradually worked his way high the chain of exceptional talents and shocked many basketball lovers on several occasions.
His NBA dream came to fruition as he joined the Celtic Boston in the 1999-2000 season. Indeed, he had a career life and retired in 2008 after winning many accolades.
Striking a Balance Between Work and Family Duties:
The career endeavours of Adrian kept him busy most of the time. However, the NBA icon didn’t neglect his duties as a father to his kids and husband to his wife, Audrey.
Yes, he often spent quality time with his family. Moreso, Adrain was aware of everything that goes on in the life of his children.
Following his retirement from playing basketball, AJ’s dad delved into the coaching world. He was too good to let his years of expertise lie low after his playing days.
Adrian also taught his sons and daughter many important lessons about basketball. They occasionally followed him to the court to see how he trains his team.
After every training session, Griffin Sr. will remind his kids that greatness is not anyone’s birthright, but it is earned through consistent hard work.
AJ Griffin Mother – Audrey Griffin:
It appears that almost all the members of the Griffin family are great athletes. AJ’s mom, Audrey, is not left out of the picture.
Truth is, she was an All-American track and field star at Seton Hall who passed down her stamina and running ability to her children.
Audrey Griffin has done an excellent job to raise her kids with good morals. As a mother, she usually encourages her children not to lose focus on fulfilling their dreams.
As expected, AJ Griffin’s mom can not afford to miss out on his games. She usually visits the arena to watch her boy play on the court as she cheers on his performance from the sideline.
What’s more?… Audrey is also an educator, author and parenting lifestyle consultant. Her book, “The Day I Took off My Cape: An NBA Wife’s Journey to Finding Family Balance” covers the topics of parenting, family, and personal growth.
AJ Griffin Brother – Alan Griffin:
The youngster’s older brother, Alan, is also an exceptional basketball player. He featured for Illinois and Syracuse before turning pro in the G-League.
Alan Griffin is a 6-foot-5 forward that shows good perimeter skills and has a lot of versatility to go along with it.
His impressive performance in the CHSAA Intersectional Tournament earned him the Most Valuable Player.
Interestingly, Alan Griffin has been in love with basketball since he was a little boy. He took practice seriously and wanted to surpass the legacy of his dad.
Alan also had a wonderful experience playing with his little brother, AJ, for a season. Of course, the siblings blended very well and had a nice time utilising the teamwork they had learned from their father as little kids.
AJ Griffin Sisters:
Among the four children of the Griffin family, Vanesssa (the oldest daughter) turned out to be the lesser-known figure.
However, Griffin also has another sister who is known for her athletic abilities. Her name is Aubrey Griffin and she is a junior forward on the UConn women’s basketball team.
AJ Griffin’s sister is a 6-foot-1 junior forward listed as the No. 56 prospect in the Class of 2019 by ESPN.
Like her brothers, she is a versatile player and a skilled rebounder that has won the hearts of her fans over and over again.
According to Aubrey Griffin, her father is the talisman who taught her how to have a good work ethic. He was instrumental in teaching her the basics of the game, like the rest of her family.
Interestingly, Aubrey attended Ossining High School, which has a powerhouse program under longtime head coach Dan Ricci. There, she had the opportunity to play basketball with other talented kids.
Thanks to her exceptional prowess, she won the Section 1 Miss Basketball Award, which is the highest award given to the best female player in Westchester County. Also, Aubrey has reached the 1,000-point milestone.
AJ Griffin Grandfather -David Alan Griffin Sr.:
Do you know?… AJ’s granddad, David Alan Griffin Sr., was a Christian minister who took his religious belief seriously. Sadly, he passed away in 2000, even before the birth of his grandson.
AJ Griffin Girlfriend:
Like Jabari Smith Jr., the youngster has given no deliberate attention to his relationship life. He is more focused on his career advancement than anything else at the moment.
But from my experience, kids around his age are usually bent on getting a girlfriend for themselves. This brings us to a hypothesis that AJ Griffin probably has a girlfriend.
Perhaps he is trying to shelter her from the claws of social media encroachment. Or maybe he is yet to meet the perfect lady that will take his breath away at first sight.
Anyway, let’s wait a little longer and see what the future holds. We hope he ends up with an exquisite damsel just like Kevon Looney‘s girlfriend.
Quick Facts About AJ Griffin:
Full Name: | Adrian Darnell "AJ" Griffin Jr. |
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Nickname: | AJ |
Date of Birth: | 25th of August 2003 |
Place of Birth: | Dallas, Texas |
Father: | Adrian Griffin Sr. |
Mother: | Audrey Griffin |
Brother: | Alan Griffin |
Sisters: | Vanesssa and Aubrey Griffin |
Girlfriend: | N/A |
Nationality: | American |
Ethnicity: | Mixed |
Zodiac: | Virgo |
Position: | Small Forward |
Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
Weight: | 222 lb (101 kg) |