Blake Griffin announces retirement from NBA after 14 years

Six-time All-Star ahead Blake Griffin introduced his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday.

Griffin was chosen first general by the LA Clippers out of Oklahoma within the 2009 draft. His time in Los Angeles bought off to a tough begin, as he broke the patella in his left knee in the course of the preseason.

Griffin got here again the next season and gained the 2010-11 Rookie of the Yr Award and made the primary of 5 straight All-Star appearances. He additionally gained the Slam Dunk Contest that season after slamming over a parked automobile.

His high-flying highlights grew to become the calling card of the Clippers, who actually took off within the 2011-12 season with the addition of level guard Chris Paul.

The acquisition of Paul and his penchant for alley-oop passes to Griffin and heart DeAndre Jordan remodeled the Clippers into Lob Metropolis, and ushered in essentially the most profitable period in franchise historical past.

“Blake was an enormous a part of the turnaround right here,” stated Tyronn Lue, the present Clippers coach who was an assistant on the employees early in Griffin’s L.A. profession. “Blake was one of the vital dynamic gamers we have seen on this league for a very long time so far as athletic-wise. One factor he does not get credit score for is his passing means. He had an amazing profession.”

Playoff success eluded the Clippers, nonetheless, and Griffin was surprisingly traded to the Detroit Pistons in the course of the 2018 season, simply months after signing a five-year, $171 million extension with the Clippers.

Griffin, 35, spent components of the following 4 seasons in Detroit earlier than being purchased out in the course of the 2020-21 season and signing with the Brooklyn Nets. He performed final season for the Boston Celtics however averaged a career-low 4.1 factors, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists whereas showing in 41 video games in a largely reserve function.

Regardless of the ups and downs of his profession, Griffin repeatedly stated in his Instagram publish that he was grateful for his NBA life.

“All of those experiences made my 14 years within the league actually unforgettable and I can not assist however to simply really feel grateful,” Griffin stated.

Griffin’s finest season was the 2013-14 marketing campaign, when he averaged 24.1 factors, 9.5 rebounds and three.9 assists, and completed third in MVP voting behind Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

For his profession, Griffin averaged 19.0 factors, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He was named second-team All-NBA thrice and third-team All-NBA twice.