Taryn Griffey has continued the legacy of athletics in the Griffey family, but not how recruiters expected her to.
Griffey, 18, is the daughter of baseball great Ken Griffey, Jr., and also happens to be one of the best basketball prospects in the country, the Epoch Times reported. She got offers from several top programs despite missing her entire junior year after tearing her ACL.
Griffey has turned down several offers and instead decided to join her brother at the University of Arizona, despite the school's subpar women's basketball performance. Her brother, Trey Griffey, is a red-shirt freshman wide receiver for the school. It came as a surprise to everyone -- especially her family.
"My family was pretty shocked. I hadn't said anything," Griffey said. "I didn't really know what I was thinking."
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Recruiters were, too. The Dr. Phillips High School senior is No. 45 overall and No. 12 for her position in ESPN rankings. She was named the Florida High School Athletic Association's 8A player of the year, and led her team to a second straight state title.
Griffey said her brother had some pull, but that she chose Arizona for its atmosphere and coaching staff. She hopes to make a name for herself at a team that finished the 2012-13 season with a record of 12-18, including 13 losses in their final 14 games.
She said she wanted to leave a legacy, as Skylar Diggins did at Notre Dame and Brittany Griner did at Baylor.
With her ranking in the Class of 2014, Griffey is in position to leave that legacy.
