Was the Loss of Rylan Griffen to Texas A&M a Blessing in Disguise for Kansas?

The 6-foot-5 guard started his career at Alabama, where he put together a solid couple of years. His freshman season saw him contribute (appeared in all 37 games), although in a limited capacity. Griffen played just 15.7 minutes per game, but scored 5.9 points per outing, hitting 1.1 triples per game on 30.1% shooting from deep. Then, in his sophomore year, he took a giant step forward, accounting for 11.2 points per game, while knocking down 2.1 three-pointers per game on a scorching-hot 39.2% clip. 

By his junior year, Griffen was at Kansas, entering as a Day 1 starter on the country’s top-ranked preseason team. But both Griffen and the Jayhawks struggled immensely after a hot start. By the midway point of the season, Griffen was removed from the starting lineup, yet still played solid minutes, but failed to contribute much. (He averaged 6.3 points on the year, while shooting just 33.6% from deep.)

Griffen’s departure opens door for promising guard Jayden Dawson

All of Griffen’s raw numbers dropped (points, rebounds and assists), as did his shooting percentages – and by wide margins (even his free-throw percentage dropped nearly 15%). Seemingly, he and Kansas weren’t the right fit for each other, so he hit the portal and wound up at Texas A&M. 

Forced to reload in the transfer portal themselves, the Jayhawks wound up adding a pair of veteran guards in Melvin Council Jr. and Jayden Dawson – the latter of whom appears likely to fill the hole left in Griffen’s absence.

Dawson’s game a better complement for freshman Darryn Peterson?

A Loyola-Chicago transfer, Dawson had spent three years with the Ramblers, shooting above 36% from deep in every single one. Last year, on high volume (7.4 attempts per game), Dawson connected on 36.3% of his shots from beyond the arc. As a proven deadly shooter, Dawson can suit up alongside freshman guard Darryn Peterson in the backcourt (or at the 3), and offer a true shooting presence on the perimeter – something Kansas lost this offseason with the graduation of guard Zeke Mayo. 

While the hope was that Griffen’s numbers would bounce back, and he could enter into that marksman role for the Jayhawks, he hasn’t been nearly as consistent as Dawson has been throughout his career. 

Given the Loyola-Chicago transfer would likely never have been pursued by the Jayhawks if Griffen hadn’t dashed to Texas A&M, one could make a solid argument that the entire ordeal was ultimately a net gain for Kansas. Does that mean Dawson is a better player than Griffen? No. But players sometimes need a change of scenery, while programs sometimes need new personnel. 

Griffen hit the road for greener pastures, and College Station may be just that for him, while Self and his crew wound up with a deadly sniper to pair with their uber-talented freshman guard Peterson. Maybe a blessing in disguise is the wrong phrasing, but it certainly appears to be a win-win for both Griffen and Kansas.