Utah Jazz: Top takeaways from the Summer League
By John Keeffer
Eric Griffin deserves a spot in the NBA
In a league shifting towards positionless basketball, where players who can guard and play multiple spots are coveted, it’s amazing to think there isn’t a place for an ultra athletic 6’8″ forward like Eric Griffin.
Griffin has had to endure a long and windy road just to receive the two-way contract that the Utah Jazz recently offered him.
Since coming out of Campbell University in 2012, Griffin has never been given a true shot to show off his talents in the NBA. He has been signed and waived by Miami, Dallas and Detroit over the last few years, and has received most of his playing time through the NBA’s G-League, and playing overseas in the Israeli Premier League with Hapoel Gilboa Galil.
Most recently, he has had to overcome the false murder charges that he was just recently cleared from.
Griffin is best know for his knack of dunking all over opponents. He may have had the best dunk of the Summer League when he threw it down on the entire Spurs team.
There are plenty of athletic players who don’t make it in the NBA though. Griffin has earned a chance to play for this team because of his high energy and motor that leads to hustle plays. That athleticism and motor led to nearly 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game, while only averaging 25 minutes a game.
Utah fans fell in love with Trevor Booker, who plays a very similar style to Griffin. If Griffin is given the chance in Utah, I think he could become a fan favorite.