SUMMARY
- Blake Griffin recently announced his retirement from the NBA via Instagram.
- Once a dominant force within the paint, Griffin's athleticism vanished due to injuries.
Blake Griffin was one of the best high flyers in the NBA during the early 2010s while he played for the LA Clippers. Unfortunately, over the last few years, Griffin barely stepped out on the floor before the time he reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2021. Even then, Griffin only showed glimpses of his former self as he was less athletic and more role-playing-oriented. But now, he’s officially hung up his jersey for good.
Griffin released a brief statement that read, “I never envisioned myself as the guy who would have a ‘letter to basketball’ retirement announcement… But as I reflected on my career, the one feeling I kept coming back to and the one thing I wanted to express was thankfulness.” He went on to thank multiple individuals including his family member and agent Sam Goldfeder.
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Griffin lastly added, “The game of basketball has given me so much in this life, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Last but certainly not least, here comes the obligatory ‘I’m excited for my next chapter’ part: Just kidding, I’m done.” He also appreciated the tough times including injury struggles and heartbreaks he’s faced during his career. But what led the 6x NBA All-Star’s decline?
Blake Griffin suffered a multitude of injuries which crippled his athleticism
In 2009, Blake Griffin was the No.1 overall pick in the NBA Draft. He was selected over Steph Curry and James Harden in the draft. He immediately became the saviour of the franchise and it was after the Clippers added Chris Paul that the team became a major threat in the Western Conference. However, the Clippers suddenly decided to move on from Griffin despite telling him they would make him a franchise player.
Injuries were what made the Clippers lose hope in him as he struggled to appear for more than 75 games between 2014 and 2017. They ended up trading him to the Detroit Pistons midway through the 2017-18 season. He averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in his second season in Detroit while being named an All-Star.
Unfortunately, Griffin faced a couple of injuries during his tenure in Detroit and also underwent knee surgery twice. His numbers dipped to averaging a career-low of 12.2 points per game. Between 2019 and 2021, he would only appear for 38 games and the Pistons eventually bought out his contract. Griffin didn’t look like he enjoyed playing basketball ever since leaving the Clippers as well.
Blake Griffin probably preferred a life in the entertainment industry
Blake Griffin got picked up by the Brooklyn Nets during the 2020-21 season and he played 56 games in the following campaign. Griffin barely averaged over 10 points a game and he eventually completed his run in Brooklyn. Ahead of the 2022-23 season, he signed a deal with the Boston Celtics. Griffin’s numbers declined even further but he still tried his best to be energetic on the floor.
While Joe Mazzulla wanted to bring Griffin back to the team, the latter claimed he didn’t want to return as he wanted to spend more time with family. But while Griffin’s career in the league declined, his journey in the entertainment and television field ascended. Griffin worked with comedians Eric Andre and Norm Macdonald. He appeared on various Comedy Central shows and hosted a hidden camera series called Double Cross with Blake Griffin.
Griffin made his standup comedy debut while hosting a Just For Laughs festival in Montreal back in 2016. He also worked with Alec Baldwin. The former NBA Rookie of the Year also founded a production company called Mortal Media which is co-owned by the NFL’s Ryan Kalil. Perhaps, Griffin’s found his life’s true calling and moved on from the sport of basketball.