Orange Watch: Alan Griffin’s eligibility waiver fantastic news for Syracuse basketball

Alan Griffin
Jan 21, 2020; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Alan Griffin (0) is escorted to the locker room by an assistant coach after being ejected from the game for stepping on the chest of Purdue Boilermakers guard Sasha Stefanovic (55) during the first half at Mackey Arena. Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock, USA Today Sports.

If there is indeed a punctual or delayed 2020-21 college basketball season, the Holiday Season just came early for Jim Boeheim and the Orange basketball program with Tuesday’s announcement that the NCAA has granted a transfer waiver to Alan Griffin to become eligible immediately to play for SU the upcoming season.

For a day at least, this brings good news to Orange Nation with all the unknowns still existing about the planned start of the 2020 college football season.

Not only will Griffin step into playing time left by the departed Elijah Hughes, his three-point shooting marksmanship will keep opposing defenses honest, and gives the Orange a third scoring threat from long range with Buddy Boeheim and Joe Girard.

Griffin’s threat from beyond the arc (47 3-pointers with Illinois last season) also figures to open up SU’s inside game with constantly improving senior Bourama Sidibe, backed up by sophomore Jesse Edwards, redshirt freshman John Bol Ajak, and when needed the versatile Marek Dolezaj. Plus, Griffin can drive effectively to the basket and use that advantage to find an open shooting teammate.

» Related: Allen Griffin is staying, but who could Syracuse have replaced him with?

At 6-5, he’s long and lanky for the 2-3 zone, and his scoring and rebounding numbers, which improved dramatically from his freshman to sophomore seasons with the Illini, only figure to increase under the tutelage of Boeheim and guard/forward-specific assistants Gerry McNamara and Red Autry.

The fourth ‘Cuse newcomer along with a rising trio of freshmen recruits, Kadary Richmond, Woody Newton, and Frank Anselem, Griffin has instantly become the most intriguing new face of the SU program, and a player to uplift Orange fans’ passion whenever the season commences.

For more Syracuse coverage, Like our Facebook page, follow us @TheJuiceOnline and listen to our podcast.

Avatar photo
About Brad Bierman 848 Articles
Now in his sixth decade of covering SU sports, Brad was sports director of WSYR radio for eight years into the early 1990s, then wrote the Orange Watch column for The Big Orange/The Juice print publication for 18 years. A Syracuse University graduate, Brad currently runs his own media consulting business in the Philadelphia suburbs. Follow him on Twitter @BradBierman.