Alabama sophomore guard Rylan Griffen is one of two returners from the Crimson Tide’s core rotation last season following a debut campaign filled with optimism and room for growth.

Griffen averaged 5.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.6 steals on 36.5% shooting from the field and 30.1% shooting from beyond the arc over 15.7 minutes per game. The Dallas, Texas native came off the bench in all 37 games, including a season-high 16 points in a road win at Auburn on Feb. 11.

“I think I could always shoot the ball, but it’s a matter of being consistent,” Griffen told the media. “This year, the focus has been on consistency and little tweaks with my shot.”

With Jahvon Quinerly, Jaden Bradley, and Nimari Burnett transferring elsewhere in the offseason, the 6-foot-6 guard is a potential breakout star for the Crimson Tide this season.

TideIllustrated tracked every shot attempt from Griffen’s freshman season to see where he excels, where he needs to improve, and how his game scales up to a larger offensive role.

Griffen’s primary role as a freshman was as a rhythm shooter and off-ball chaser on defense. In fact, 58.8% of his field-goal attempts (116 of 197) came on catch-and-shoot jumpers, according to Synergy Sports.

He was also one of 11 high-major freshmen since 2008 to record a two percent steal rate, one percent block rate, and attempt 12.0 3s per 100 possessions, per Barttorvik’s historical data.

Griffen is a far better shooter than his numbers would indicate. With his confidence, quick load time and a high release, he looks unbothered by contests and hard closeouts.

Griffen’s ability as a zero-to-one dribble movement shooter also adds utility to Alabama’s offense. He can lift to the wing, sink to the corner, and fire off 3-pointers on handoffs from atop the key.

As seen in the first possession, Griffen receives a handoff from veteran Mark Sears and drifts to the corner for a movement 3-pointer.

Overall, there are no glaring mechanical issues with his shot, but as Griffen mentioned in his first press conference of the season, he’s been working with first-year assistant coach Ryan Pannone on slight tweaks to build consistency.

Griffen’s flashes as a shot creator and self-created driver were promising in his freshman season. He ranked in the 75th percentile as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, 53rd percentile in isolation and shot 9-of-13 on pull-up jumpers, albeit on limited volume.

Griffen’s blend of flexibility, burst, and shiftiness as a driver is perfect for Alabama’s dribble-drive offense. He changes angles well and is a sneakily athletic leaper, despite recording five dunks on the season.

In the offseason, Griffen grew one inch and is up to 190 pounds after adding 10 pounds to his frame. This should improve his ability to withstand contact and improve his balance at the rim.

As seen in this compilation, Griffen struggled to finish through contact and handle bumps when the defense sent help rotations onto his rim attempts, a common struggle for young, skinny guards. On the season, he shot a subpar 40.9% at the rim on half-court offensive possessions.

Though Griffen’s handle is creative and flexible, sometimes he was loose with the ball on drives, which should also improve as he adds weight.

With Griffen’s expanded offensive role, physical growth, defensive utility, and the uncertainty of the 2024 NBA Draft, he has the chance to break into first-round conversations this season.

Still 19 years old, his improvement areas from last season are all fixable and realistic. Can he become an efficient shooter on high volume? Yes. Can he become a better finisher through contact? Yes. And is his skillset suited to scale up to a larger offensive role? Yes. He’s a plus athlete with a real handle.

Head coach Nate Oats will lean on Griffen in 2023-24 and his growth will be vital to Alabama’s chances of defending its SEC championship title.

Statistical predictions: 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists on 43% shooting from the field and 35% shooting from 3.