J.P. Estrella, Ryder Frost and Quinn Costello are among the names in recent Middlesex Magic history who have ascended as the biggest stock-risers in the country during their 17U seasons.
Is Declan Griffiths next in line?
The 6-foot-7 wing from Simsbury, Conn. – who’s No. 9 in our New England Class of 2027 rankings – is already on the right track. He picked up his first Big Ten offer from Northwestern earlier this month and he’s already off to a very strong start to the grassroots season. A long, athletic wing and one of the best 3-point shooters in New England, Griffiths fits the profile of several past Magic greats like Frost, Costello and even Duncan Robinson. He’s primed for a breakout season.
“He loves to work. He’s a great teammate. He works extremely hard and he’s not selfish. It usually works out for those guys,” Middlesex Magic director Michael Crotty said. “Obviously, he’s coming on the heels of Quinn, on the heels of Ryder, on the heels of some other really, really tremendous, high-level shooters with size that I think would be the major archetype there. I think now, some people are like, hey, there’s the Magic’s next great wing driller. What I’m excited about is he can do a lot more. He can put it on the deck, he’s super athletic, plays way above the rim, he’s getting more physical on both ends of the floor, rebounding the ball better. I think you’re going to see a more well-rounded player than maybe what people expected. …
