Blake Griffin announced his retirement on Tuesday after an illustrious 14-year career in the NBA. Throughout his time in the league, he achieved six All-Star selections, won Rookie of the Year honors, and even took home a dunk contest victory. In a social media post, Griffin expressed his gratitude for every moment of his career.
Griffin was selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2009. However, he faced adversity early on with a knee injury that kept him out of his first season. Despite this setback, he bounced back and was named the Rookie of the Year in 2011. His electrifying dunks and plays helped revitalize the Clippers franchise, earning them the nickname “Lob City.”
As Griffin’s athleticism declined and injuries began to take a toll, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons during the 2018 season. Despite these challenges, he adapted his game to incorporate a reliable 3-point shot and earned his sixth All-Star Game selection in the 2018-19 season. He averaged 24.5 points and 7.5 rebounds that season.
Griffin also had stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics before ultimately deciding to retire. Throughout his career, Griffin averaged 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.
In his retirement announcement, Griffin expressed gratitude for both the highs and lows of his career, including the wins, losses, injuries, and lessons learned. He thanked his family, friends, fans, teammates, coaches
