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Duke Blue Devils star freshman AJ Griffin has suffered a dislocated knee and will be out 4-6 weeks, per Adam Rowe of The Devils Den. This is a big blow for Duke, as Griffin is seen to be one of the better freshman of the upcoming season.
This is also significant news for the upcoming Champions Classic showdown between the Blue Devils and Kentucky Wildcats. With Griffin missing 4-6 weeks, that puts his potential return time right around November 9, the day of the Kentucky-Duke game.
If Griffin were to miss that game, it’s not a huge blow for the Blue Devils, as they have Paolo Banchero and Mark Williams inside, but it will sting some.
Griffin suffered no ligament damage, according to Brendan Marks of The Athletic. No surgery will be required.
Griffin was a top-15 player in the class of 2021, choosing Duke over Kentucky, Villanova, and Kansas back in 2019. His highest ranking was 11th overall at 247 Sports.