Is AJ Griffin Better Than Marvin Bagley III? NBA Stats Decide

Few NBA comparisons generate more debate than AJ Griffin vs Marvin Bagley III. The numbers reveal a genuinely competitive matchup — Marvin Bagley III takes 5 categories while AJ Griffin claims 3, making this one of the closer head to head comparisons at the F position. Every statistical category matters in a matchup this tight.

Marvin Bagley III's Rebounds Per Game of 6.4 compared to AJ Griffin's 1.9 represents a 236.8% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. AJ Griffin falls 63.5% below the career average of 5.2 in this category while Marvin Bagley III exceeds it. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for Marvin Bagley III's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Field Goal %, where AJ Griffin posts 44.7% against Marvin Bagley III's 53.2% — a gap of just 19%. AJ Griffin can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 5-3 tally suggests. In any debate, Field Goal % is the statistical ammunition for the AJ Griffin side.

The forward position in professional basketball demands versatility — the ability to score, rebound and defend at an elite level. The most decorated forwards in NBA history have excelled across multiple statistical categories.

The verdict favors Marvin Bagley III — 5 categories to 3 — but AJ Griffin makes this far from a one-sided debate. Anyone building the case for AJ Griffin has real statistical ammunition particularly in Field Goal % where the gap narrows to just 19%. The numbers have spoken, but the argument will continue.