Syracuse Basketball: Alan Griffin waiver makes Orange true 2020-21 threats
The question of whether Syracuse Basketball transfer Alan Griffin would get a waiver has finally been answered.
When Alan Griffin made the somewhat surprising decision to transfer from Illinois to Syracuse Basketball, it was viewed as a major coup for the ACC program. Not only was Elijah Hughes the team’s leading scorer (19.0 ppg), he also was the ideal wing to play for the Orange on both ends of the court.
Hughes’s early departure to the NBA hurt Syracuse’s chances of getting back to the NCAA Tournament for next season. The team finished the regular season with an 18-14 overall record, going 10-10 in the ACC. They do return four other starters, including guards Buddy Boeheim and Joe Girard III but the transfer exodus from the bench limits much of their potential depth for 2020-21.
Without a waiver and forced to sit out the upcoming season, the starting wing for Syracuse would’ve either been four-star freshman Kadary Richmond or 6’7 combo forward Quincy Guerrier, a sophomore who averaged 6.9 ppg and 5.3 rpg last year.
Ready to go for '20-21!
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) August 18, 2020
@alangriffin_ has been ruled immediately eligible.
📰 https://t.co/U4jLGWYYBI pic.twitter.com/nUcArBuSBo
Last season at Illinois, the 6’5 guard/wing averaged 8.9 ppg and 4.5 rpg off the bench in 19 mpg. That converts to nearly a 20 and 10 average per 40 minutes for the sophomore. Although Griffin wasn’t a volume shooter, he made 42% of his three-point attempts and had seven games of at least 15 points, including a career-high 24-point effort against Northwestern.
Griffin will likely be plugged in as the wing starter he also can play at the shooting guard position, giving either Boeheim or Girard a breather. Those two played some of the most minutes in the country and with no other incoming guards will be playing a bunch once again this season.
Next. Syracuse 2020-21 depth chart. dark
Griffin’s defense and rebounding will also be a boost to the Orange on both ends of the court. He likely won’t replace the scoring production from Hughes but if the other four starters can continue to develop, as well as any kind of help from the bench, this team will at the very least be on the NCAA Tournament bubble, with real hope to be part of the field of 68. Having an elite starting lineup like this can make up for any issues coming from the bench, especially with the addition of Griffin.