On Thursday afternoon, Rutgers added Gavin Griffiths, the highest-ranked prospect in program history according to Rivals. The 2023 wing is ranked 28th nationally and is known for being one of the best shooters in the class.

In his return to action on the court this past weekend, the sharpshooter scored 13.2 points per game for Expressions Elite while shooting 41.6% from the outside on high volume.

Griffiths spoke with Rivals to explain why he committed to the Scarlet Knights over other quality options.

IN HIS WORDS

Why he chose Rutgers:

“I chose Rutgers because of the coaching staff, all the way the way from the head coach to the bottom assistant, everybody just showed me the most love. I felt like that was the place that wanted me the most. Everything from where they stay, to where they practice, it seems like it’s brand new. Everything is just beautiful. From the coaching staff to the facilities, I just like everything about it.”

Steve Pikiell’s pitch:

“He was just saying that I was really his top priority, which I really felt was genuine, which meant a lot to me. There’s a lot of great players in the class, so being the top priority at a Big Ten school was really important to me.”

Players he wants to play with:

“I don’t have anyone specific, but any good player. There’s so many great players, especially in the 2023 class. I’m sure later in the year that I’ll start trying to do some recruiting and bring in some guys.”

Who he chose Rutgers over:

“I had visits lined up to Michigan and Virginia Tech that I ended up cancelling just because I fell in love with Rutgers so much. The other school that I visited was Providence, I had a really great relationship with Coach (Ed) Cooley, but Rutgers was just everything that I needed.”

RIVALS REACTION

Griffiths is definitely a player that Rutgers fans should be excited about. He’s arguably the best shooter in the class and at 6’7”, gives Steve Pikiell a versatile weapon on the perimeter. Griffiths gives you a knockdown shooter that can play a couple of positions and should really excel in the Scarlet Knights’ system.