Rutgers men's basketball lands 4-star 2023 prospect Gavin Griffiths
The Rutgers men’s basketball team secured the commitment of 2023 four-star prospect Gavin Griffiths today. Ranked inside the top 35 nationally in his class, he is the second top-50 recruit head coach Steve Pikiell has brought to the Scarlet Knights, joining junior center Clifford Omoruyi.
Griffiths is a 6-foot-7-inch wing who hails from Pikiell’s home state of Connecticut. He plays his high school basketball at Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford, Connecticut, where he averaged 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game last season on the way to winning the NEPSAC Player of the Year.
He has also starred on the AAU team Elite Expressions, where he has bolstered his reputation as one of the best shooters in the 2023 class. Overall, he is ranked 26th in the class by ESPN and 33rd by 247 Sports.
247 Sports also ranks Griffiths as the fifth-best small forward in his class.
“His greatest strength is his attention to detail and work ethic. He is that definition of hard work pays off,” said Brad Seaman, Griffiths’ high school coach. “He’s in the gym in the summer, and it’s 100 degrees in the morning, and he’s working out before camp starts, then he’s doing yoga during the day, and then he’s playing at night. That’s just his summer workout regimen.”
Rutgers beat out several high major schools and Big Ten rivals who were all vying for Griffiths to join their programs. Griffiths held offers from Michigan, Iowa, Penn State, Providence, Xavier, UConn and Syracuse, among others.
Pikiell was quick to identify Griffiths’ talent. Last June, the program became just the second high major to offer Griffiths. This was before Griffiths became the well-regarded prospect he is today.
Griffiths’ father was a 1,000-point scorer at the University of Hartford and a professional player overseas. Griffiths also has two older siblings who are players themselves.
“Right when I visited (Rutgers), I just knew it for sure,” Griffiths said. “I had a great relationship with (Pikiell) and a great relationship with the entire coaching staff, and I thought basketball-wise, they're a great up-and-coming program that's made the (NCAA Tournament) the last couple of years.”
Griffiths has the ability to score in multiple ways aside from shooting. He also possesses strong court vision and has the size and body control to drive to the rim. With a recruiting grade of 0.9853, he has the second-highest rating of a recruit in modern program history. 2007 recruit Mike Rosario held a grade of 0.9855.
Griffiths will play a major role in the Knights’ goal to remain a program that competes in the NCAA Tournament year in and year out. With his commitment, he joins 2022 commits Derek Simpson and Antwone Woolfolk as players who will arrive on the Banks in the coming years.
“I would say I am a very good offensive player. I shoot the three very well. I can put it on the floor and create for others,” Griffiths said when asked to describe his game to those who may not know him. “I’m becoming a better defensive player. I’m starting to be able to switch and guard multiple positions.”
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