Blake Griffin retires after illustrious 14-year NBA career
After 14 years across four NBA franchises and six All-Star selections, Blake Griffin has announced his retirement.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Griffin spelled out his decision to hang it up and expressed his gratitude for the life he's been able to live as a part of the NBA.
"All of these experiences made my 14 years in the league truly unforgettable and I can't help but to just feel thankful," Griffin said.
During his two-year career at Oklahoma (2007-09), Griffin was one of the top players in college basketball. He was particularly good in 2008-09, shooting 65.4% from the field and averaging 22.7 points, 14.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game.
Griffin would become the NCAA's leading rebounder for 2009, and earned both Big 12 and National Player of the Year honors. He was also a consensus First-Team All-American for the Sooners, helping lead them to a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners would finish with a 30-6 (13-3) record that season and fell to the eventual national champions, North Carolina, in the Elite Eight.
The LA Clippers selected Griffin out of Oklahoma with the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, but his professional career suffered an immediate setback as he would miss the 2010 season due to a stress fracture in his left knee.
He would come back with a vengeance in 2011, however, earning NBA Rookie of the Year honors, averaging 38 minutes, with 22.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game that season. To top it off, Griffin was also named the NBA Slam Dunk Champion in 2011 after dunking over a car to take down JaVale McGee in the Final Round.
Griffin remained with the franchise until he was traded in 2018. That move sent Griffin to the Detroit Pistons just months after he signed a five-year, $171 million extension with the Clippers.
Griffin, now 35, would spend each of the next four seasons with the Pistons before he signed with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2020-21 season.
His most recent action came as a member of the Boston Celtics in 2022-23, where he appeared in 41 contests but mostly as a reserve player.
Over the course of his career, Griffin averaged 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists and was named second-team All-NBA three times.