Soaring six times On Tuesday, the NBA All-Star declared his retirement.
The Oklahoma native Blake Griffin spent 14 seasons as an NBA player for four different clubs. In 2009, the Clippers selected him first overall. He sustained a season-ending knee injury in the preseason, which kept him out of the 2009 campaign. When he came back the next season, he won Rookie of the Year. 2010 saw the Oklahoman native earn a spot on his first All-Star team.
In a message shared on social media, Griffin stated, “I’m grateful for every single moment — not only the good ones: the wins, the trophies, the dunks, and the memorable times spent with family, friends, fans, teammates, and coaches.”
Griffin’s spectacular dunks and alley-oop finishes were his most well-known feats. After Chris Paul, the standout guard, moved to Los Angeles for the 2011–12 season, he frequently collected lobs from Paul. Additionally, center DeAndre Jordan produced viral highlights during the Lob City period of the Clippers.
Notwithstanding the team’s star power, the Clippers failed to go past the conference semifinals in the postseason during the Lob City era.
Due to a string of ailments that hampered his athleticism, Griffin had to accept more distributing and jump-shooting duties during his career. In his 25 games in Detroit following his trade to the Pistons during the 2017–18 campaign, he averaged a career-high 6.2 assists per game.
He said, “I am equally grateful for the bad times: the defeats, the wounds, the incredibly high number of surgeries, the lessons learned, the heartaches, and it wouldn’t be a sports retirement letter without acknowledging the ‘haters.'”
During his eight seasons as a Clipper, Griffin averaged 21.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He was selected for five All-Star teams. He spent two seasons with the Nets and four with the Pistons. With the Celtics, he appeared in just 41 games last season.
Griffin’s greatest season was in 2013–14.With an average of 24.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, he came in third among voters for MVP, behind only Kevin Durant and LeBron James.
“I wouldn’t change a thing—basketball has given me so much in this life,” he remarked. Last but not least, let me just say that I’m done with the obligatory “I’m thrilled for my next chapter” bit.
