Joe Paige | Sports Editor
6x All-Star forward Blake Griffin announced his retirement from the NBA earlier this week in a letter he posted across his social media. Griffin was the #1 overall pick out of Oklahoma in the 2009 draft selected by the LA Clippers. Although his career may have gotten off to a rough start, as he broke the patella in his left knee during the preseason, Griffin would come back the following season and win the 2010-11 Rookie of the Year Award.
The NBA has seen its fair share of ultra-athletic players step foot on the court, Blake Griffin would be no exception as he quickly became well-known for his high-flying highlights and jaw-dropping posters. In the 2011-12 season the Clippers would acquire point guard Chris Paul in a trade. Paul’s elite playmaking combined with Grifin’s high-flying prowess, transformed the Clippers into Lob City, their most successful era in franchise history.
When the Lob City era began to fade, as players like Chris Paul and center DeAndre Jordan left the team, Griffin would remain in LA for 3 more years before he’d get traded to the Detroit Pistons in the 2017-2018 season. He would earn his sixth and final trip to the All-Star game the next season, averaging a career-high 24.5 points per game with 5.4 assists and 7.5 rebounds.
As Griffin’s high-flying days were slowly ending, he still would still find ways to be impactful on the court. While we had never seen him fully rely on a three-point shot before in his career, he started to dramatically improve his three-point ability, unlocking a new level in his game that we never knew existed. After getting traded and spending two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, he’d play his last season with the Boston Celtics last year.
Griffin was also never afraid to show his personality, from making appearances in commercials to creating many memorable moments on the court. Most Recently, Griffin has transitioned into the film and television industry, as him and fellow pro athlete Ryan Kalil own a production company, Mortal Media. Tied to movies such as The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021) and White Men Can’t Jump (2023), the company has quite successful, even signing a multi-year overall deal with Sony Pictures just last year.
Blake Griffin will be remembered as one of the most exciting players and best dunkers the NBA has ever seen, as his highlights still evoke the same emotions they did years ago.