Blake Griffin, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft, has officially announced his retirement, according to a post on his Instagram account.
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Griffin played 14 total seasons in his career, most notably with the “Lob City” Los Angeles Clippers. The 35-year-old also had stints with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics, who he spent his final season with in 2022-23. In his career, Griffin averaged 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Furthermore, Griffin retires as a six-time NBA All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, and the 2011 Rookie of the Year.
In February, Celtics guards Derrick White and Payton Pritchard revealed the team wanted Griffin to return to Boston. However, Griffin made it clear he was not interested in returning to the court.
Former No. 1 NBA Draft Pick Announces Retirement
Blake Griffin Was an Exciting Player to Witness Before His Retirement
For the first few years of his career, Griffin was arguably the most exciting NBA player to watch. He developed a reputation as one of the league’s best in-game dunkers and expanded his offensive game later in his career. Furthermore, Griffin retires as one of the greatest Clippers players in franchise history. In 2019, former Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said that Griffin, alongside DeAndre Jordan, “started the birth of the Clippers.” Additionally, Rivers believes the Clippers should retire their jersey numbers as well.
“Those two, I think they should go in the same day, I really do,” Rivers told the Times following the Clippers’ 121-100 loss Thursday in Denver. “Blake was great for us, he really was. It didn’t end great because we traded him but at the end of the day, Blake and D.J. started the birth of the Clippers.
Griffin also left an impact off the court. Al Horford, who played with Griffin on the Celtics last season, spoke about having the former Clippers star as a teammate. Simply put, Horford called him a “great teammate.”
“Great teammate. Everybody here, we love Blake,” Horford said, per Bobby Manning’s X account. “There was like a hope that he would be around in some way. Just a lot of good memories with him. The year that he was here, he made it enjoyable for me. It was just fun to come into work with him every day. Getting to talk to him and getting to know him with some of the things off the court, and as a person, just a great guy.”
Is Blake Griffin on His Way to the Hall of Fame?
According to Basketball Reference, Griffin has a 54.8% chance to make it to the Hall of Fame. Griffin had a good career with many accolades. However, he retires without having won a championship or an MVP award. Regardless, Griffin was one of the most skilled players in the league during his prime. Additionally, Basketball Reference does not factor in non-NBA success, which Griffin has plenty of throughout his college and Olympic career. It is a close call, but Griffin certainly has a case for the Hall of Fame.
