Rutgers University Athletics

Gavin Griffiths, a 6-foot-8, 193-pound guard joins the Knightood for his first season in Piscataway. Griifiths is from the Kingswood-Oxford High School in West Hartford, Conn.,

Griffiths was ranked the No. 20 recruit in the country (247 Sports), marking the highest-ranked player landed in the Steve Pikiell-era and the second-highest recruit to attend RU in the modern era. Only former Rutgers guard Mike Rosario was ranked higher at the time of his recruitment (2008). Griffiths is also ranked No. 1 in the state of Connecticut by 247 Sports. Griffiths was upgraded from a four-star recruit to a five-star recruit in January of 2023.

2023-24 Season Preview: Gavin Griffiths

2023-24 Season: 

• Saw action in all 32 games, making three starts, averaging 5.8 points in 17.8 minutes per game
• Second on team with 31 made three-pointers
• Had 20 assists and 10 steals
• Started in Rutgers debut against Princeton
• Scored 25 points in home debut at Jersey Mike's Arena against BU, marking most points in a home opener by a RU player since 2013 and most points ever by a freshman in their home debut
• Posted 12 points in win over Georgetown
• Notched seven points and first three assists of career against Howard 
• Started at Wake Forest
• Scored 11 points in win over rival Seton Hall in the Garden State Hardwood Classic
• Had eight points and three steals in 21 minutes against LIU
• Scored six points in eight minutes against Nebraska
• Posted nine points against No. 2 Purdue
• Led team with 11 points against Penn State
• Had seven points and six rebounds at No. 3 Purdue
• Posted 10 points at Nebraska
• Scored 14 points against Wisconsin
• Started against Maryland in Big Ten Tournament and had team-high 16 points 

Prior to Rutgers: 

• Ranked No. 30 in the country by Rivals, No. 36 by ESPN, and No. 39 by ON3.
• Ranked as a five-star recruit in January of 2023.
• Tabbed as the No. 1 player in the state of Connecticut by 247 Sports.
• Has been competing with the AAU program Expressions Elite in the Nike EYBL league against some of the top talent in the country over the past few seasons.
• During Session 3 of the Nike EYBL, Griffiths averaged 13.2 points and shot 37.8% from deep on an impressive 11.1 attempts per 40 minutes. 
• Griffiths shot 40.6 percent from three-point range on 11.3 attempts per 40 minutes at the 2022 Nike EYBL Peach Jam.
• The New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) named Griffiths the ’23 Player of the Year in Class B Basketball.
• Griffiths averaged 24.0 points, eight rebounds, and four assists during his junior season. 
• Played at Jersey Mike’s Arena in a game in December of 2022 where he had a game-high 33 points and added 14 rebounds, four assists and two steals on his future home floor.

Personal: 

• Was in attendance for RU’s Senior Day victory over Penn State 59-58 on March 6 at Jersey Mike’s Arena.
• Went on his official to Rutgers on May 7, committed to the Scarlet Knights 10 days later.
• Surprised Head Coach Steve Pikiell in his office alongside his family and Athletic Director Pat Hobbs with his decision to join the Scarlet Knights.
• One of four siblings. He has an older brother (Riley), older sister (Nora), and a younger brother (Declan). Gavin’s three siblings all play competitive basketball as well. 
• His father, Larry, was a two-time all-state high school center in Connecticut in the 1980s, played at the University of Hartford, and played professionally overseas. 
• Larry played against Scarlet Knights head coach Steve Pikiell in college when Pikiell attended UCONN.
• His mother, Karen, played four years of Division 1 basketball at the University of Hartford from 1988-1992.
• Karen joined him on many of his visits and trips to Rutgers games through the recruiting process.
• Griffiths has an extraordinary frame for an elite shooter and has been watching the game of Kevin Durant closely since he was a child. 
• He’s looked up to Durant’s game and his ability to create open shots at that size.

Pikiell on Gavin Griffiths:

“He loves to be in the gym. He’s super athletic. He’s known to be a great shooter, but he can also pass and handle the ball. He’s going to have a great year. I think he is one of the more talented players in the country and certainly one of the best freshmen in the country. He was ranked that way out of high school.”

Quoteable 2023-24:

“I’m super excited to join the Rutgers men’s basketball family and it really means a lot to me. To be a part of a team that’s as good as Rutgers means everything and I just can’t wait to get started. When I take the floor for the first time at Jersey Mike’s Arena it’s going to be the best feeling.”