2018-19 Player Preview: Top 100 Freshman Kylee Griffen

Gonzaga began recruiting Kylee Griffen when she was a freshman at Lake Stevens High School. By the end of her junior year, Griffen had more than 25 offers from across the country, including multiple Pac-12 schools. But Gonzaga was the favorite all along, and right before her senior season, she signed her letter of intent to play for Lisa Fortier and the Zags.

Her senior season was one of the best in the state of Washington as she racked up numerous accolades and shot up recruiting charts. After averaging 17.7 points and 9.4 rebounds as a junior, Griffen became a double-double machine and finished her senior season averaging 20.9 points and 10.5 rebounds, including a school-record 42-point outburst against Seattle Prep. She helped Lake Stevens win WESCO 4A and Northwest District Championships. She was named The Herald’s Player of the Year, was a McDonald’s All-American Nominee and ended up being the number 79 recruit in the nation.

The Griffen family is no stranger to basketball. Her father, Dexter, played at Eastern Washington and coached high school basketball for over a decade. Kylee’s mother, Alisa, played for Boise State and is from Spokane. Kylee has several family members who still live in Spokane, making Gonzaga a natural fit.

Griffen stands 6’2” and because of her height, she grew up playing more in the post. The last couple years of high school, she developed more ball handling skills and honed her shooting to play more small forward. At Gonzaga, she is expected to be a versatile wing that can play both the 2 and 3 spots. That versatility also shows up at the defensive end with her length and agility.

There’s a good chance Griffen comes in and makes an impact right away as a role player. A lot of it may depend on the development of Louis Forsythe, but there should be plenty of minutes in the backcourt to take advantage of. She may need her freshman year to learn the ropes of college basketball, but make no mistake, Kylee Griffen should have a fantastic career in a Gonzaga uniform.

Our women’s player previews will continue on Saturday with a look at Jenn Wirth.