Blake Griffin facts for kids
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Griffin with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 16, 1989 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| High school | Oklahoma Christian (Edmond, Oklahoma) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Oklahoma (2007–2009) |
| NBA Draft | 2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Clippers | |
| Pro career | 2009–2023 |
| Career history | |
| 2009–2018 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2018–2021 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2021–2022 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2022–2023 | Boston Celtics |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 14,513 (19.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,109 (8.0 rpg) |
| Assists | 3,055 (4.0 apg) |
Blake Austin Griffin (born March 16, 1989) is an American former professional basketball player. He mostly played as a power forward. Blake was known for his amazing dunks and athletic plays.
Griffin played college basketball for the Oklahoma Sooners. He was named the best college player in the country as a sophomore. The Los Angeles Clippers picked him first overall in the 2009 NBA draft. He became a six-time NBA All-Star and was chosen for the All-NBA five times.
In 2018, Griffin joined the Detroit Pistons. Later, he played for the Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics. He retired from basketball in 2023.
Blake won four high school state titles with his father, Tommy Griffin, as his coach. He played two seasons in college before joining the NBA. Sadly, he broke his left kneecap before his first NBA season and missed the whole year. When he finally played in the next season, he was an All-Star. He also won the exciting NBA Slam Dunk Contest and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year.
Contents
- Early Life and High School Basketball
- College Career at Oklahoma
- Professional Career
- Player Profile
- Career Statistics
- Awards and Honors
- Off the Court
- Personal Life
- Images for kids
Early Life and High School Basketball
Blake Griffin was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His father, Tommy Griffin, was a basketball player and track star. Blake and his older brother, Taylor Griffin, were taught at home by their mother for several years.
Growing up, Blake was good friends with future NFL quarterback Sam Bradford. They played basketball at Bradford's father's gym. Before focusing on basketball, Blake also played baseball and football.
High School Success
In 2003, Blake joined his brother at Oklahoma Christian School. They played basketball for their father, Coach Tommy Griffin. Together, they won two state basketball championships. In his first year, their team had a perfect 29–0 record and won the Class 3A state championship.
In his second year, the team won the Class 3A state championship again. Blake averaged 13.6 points per game. After this, Taylor went to play college basketball for the Oklahoma Sooners.
During the summer of 2005, Blake played for an AAU team. He played against future NBA stars like Kevin Durant.
For his junior year, Oklahoma Christian moved to Class 2A. Blake led his team to a third straight state championship. He was named the state tournament MVP. He averaged 21.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists.
Blake decided to play for Oklahoma in college, joining his brother. In his senior year, he averaged 26.8 points, 15.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2.9 blocks. His team had a 26–3 record. On March 10, 2007, he won his fourth straight state title in his final high school game.
After high school, Blake was named Player of the Year by local newspapers. He was also chosen for the McDonald's All-American and Jordan Brand All-America teams. At the McDonald's All-American game, he won the slam dunk contest.
College Career at Oklahoma
Blake Griffin was one of the most talented players to join the Oklahoma Sooners.
Freshman Year (2007–2008)
As a freshman, he averaged 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds. He helped the Sooners get a 23–12 record. He was one of the top players in the Big 12 Conference for scoring, rebounding, and shooting.
He had some knee injuries during the season but still played well. He was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and the All-Big 12 First Team. Many thought he would join the NBA early, but he decided to stay in college. He wanted to get stronger and help Oklahoma win a national championship.
Sophomore Year (2008–2009)
In his sophomore season, the Sooners started strong, winning their first 12 games. Blake had an amazing game with 25 points and 21 rebounds. In the very next game, he scored 35 points and grabbed 21 rebounds. This made him the first player in Big 12 history to have back-to-back games with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds.
He set career highs with 40 points and 23 rebounds in a game against Texas Tech. He was the only player in Big 12 history to get at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in one game.
The Sooners finished second in their conference. In the NCAA tournament, Oklahoma was a high seed. Blake scored 33 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in one game. The Sooners eventually lost to North Carolina in the regional final.
Blake averaged 22.7 points, 14.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. He led the NCAA in rebounding. He also set school and Big 12 records for most rebounds in a season (504) and double-doubles (30).
For his great performance, Blake won all six major national player of the year awards. He was the first Oklahoma player to win these top honors.
Professional Career
Los Angeles Clippers (2009–2018)
Draft and Injury (2009–2010)
On April 7, 2009, Blake Griffin announced he would enter the NBA draft. The Los Angeles Clippers chose him as the first overall pick. During a preseason game, he injured his kneecap after a dunk. He had surgery and missed the entire 2009–10 season.
Rookie of the Year (2010–2011)
Since he missed his first season, Blake was still a rookie in the 2010–11 season. In his first NBA game, he had 20 points and 14 rebounds. He set a Clippers record with 23 straight games getting a double-double. This streak lasted 27 games.
On November 11, 2010, Blake scored a career-high 44 points. Later, he scored 47 points, a record for a Clippers rookie. He was the first rookie since Allen Iverson to have two games with over 40 points.
Coaches voted Blake into the 2011 NBA All-Star Game. He was the first rookie All-Star since Yao Ming in 2003. He also won the Slam Dunk Contest with an amazing jump over a car.
On March 23, 2011, Blake got his first triple-double (double digits in points, rebounds, and assists). He had another triple-double in the final game of the season.
Blake won all six Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards. He was the first rookie since Chris Paul to do this. He played all 82 games and was the first rookie since Elton Brand to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. He won the Rookie of the Year award, with everyone agreeing he deserved it.
First Playoffs and Division Title (2011–2013)
Blake was voted a starter for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. He averaged 20.7 points and 10.9 rebounds in the shortened season. He and new teammate Chris Paul led the Clippers to the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
The Clippers beat the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs. However, they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the next round. Blake was named to the All-NBA Second Team.
In 2012, Blake signed a contract extension to stay with the Clippers. He was chosen to play for Team USA in the 2012 London Summer Olympics, but an injury kept him from playing.
Fans voted Blake as a starter for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game again. He had his third career triple-double in March 2013. The Clippers won their first division title in team history with a 56–26 record. They lost in the first round of the playoffs again. Blake was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the second time.
New Coach and Owner (2013–2015)
After losing early in the playoffs, the Clippers hired Doc Rivers as their new coach. In his first season with Rivers, Blake averaged a career-high 24.1 points per game. He was a starter in the 2014 NBA All-Star Game, his fourth straight All-Star appearance.
Blake scored 20+ points in 31 straight games, a team record. The Clippers won their second division title. Blake had his fourth career triple-double in April 2014.
The Clippers finished with their best record ever, 57–25. They beat the Golden State Warriors in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. Blake scored a playoff career-high 35 points in one game. They then lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Blake was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the third year.
A new owner, Steve Ballmer, bought the Clippers for a record $2 billion.
On December 8, 2014, Blake scored a season-high 45 points. He made a game-winning three-pointer at the last second. He missed 15 games due to a staph infection in his elbow. He returned in March 2015. Blake finished the season averaging 21.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and a career-high 5.3 assists.
In the playoffs, Blake had his first playoff triple-double against the San Antonio Spurs. He had another triple-double in Game 7 to help the Clippers win the series. Two days later, he had his second straight triple-double in Game 1 against the Houston Rockets. The Clippers lost the series in seven games.
Injuries and Later Clippers Years (2015–2018)
On November 25, 2015, Blake scored 40 points and had 12 rebounds. He missed many games due to a partially torn quadriceps muscle. He also injured his hand in an argument. He missed 45 games in total.
He returned in April 2016. He played in the first four playoff games but re-injured his quad. This kept him out for the rest of the postseason.
On November 5, 2016, Blake scored 28 points. He helped the Clippers start the season 5–1. He reached 4,000 rebounds in 417 games, one of the fastest players to do so. He also reached 9,000 career points, 4,000 rebounds, and 1,500 assists.
In December 2016, he had minor surgery on his right knee and missed time. He returned in January 2017. On February 6, he had his fifth career triple-double. He scored a season-high 32 points two days later. On February 26, he set a new season high with 43 points. On April 1, Blake reached 10,000 career points.
On April 22, 2017, Blake was ruled out of the rest of the 2017 NBA Playoffs due to a toe injury.
In July 2017, Blake signed a new five-year contract with the Clippers. On November 22, he had a triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Three days later, he scored 33 points, including a game-winning shot. He missed about two months with an MCL sprain. He returned in December 2017. On January 22, 2018, he had another triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Detroit Pistons (2018–2021)
New Team and Career Highs (2018–2019)
On January 29, 2018, Blake Griffin was traded to the Detroit Pistons. He played his first game for the Pistons three days later, scoring 24 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.
On October 23, 2018, Blake scored a career-high 50 points! He made the game-winning free throw in overtime. He was the first Pistons player to score 50 points since 2006. He also became the first NBA player to score 50 points that season.
On December 15, he scored 27 points. He had at least 20 points for nine straight games, a first for a Detroit player since 2008. Blake also passed 12,000 career points. On January 12, he scored 44 points against his old team, the Clippers. He scored 445 points in January, the most in a single month in Pistons history.
He had another triple-double on February 25. He missed some games at the end of the season due to knee soreness. He also missed the first two playoff games. After the playoffs, he had surgery on his left knee.
Dealing with Injuries (2019–2021)
Blake missed the first 10 games of the 2019–20 season recovering from knee surgery. After playing 18 games, he had a second surgery on his left knee in January 2020. He missed the rest of that season.
He returned for the 2020–21 season but struggled with injuries. He averaged lower points and rebounds. On March 5, 2021, the Pistons released him from his contract.
Brooklyn Nets (2021–2022)
On March 8, 2021, Blake signed with the Brooklyn Nets. He made his debut on March 21. On May 6, he had his first double-double as a Net.
He re-signed with the Nets for another year in August 2021. He started 17 games early in the season. Later, the coach decided to use other players more. On February 6, 2022, Blake scored a season-high 19 points.
Boston Celtics (2022–2023) and Retirement
On September 30, 2022, Blake signed a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics.
On April 16, 2024, Blake Griffin announced he was retiring from professional basketball.
Player Profile
Blake Griffin is 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 251 pounds. He mostly played as a power forward. In his rookie year, he averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He was known for his amazing dunks and athletic plays. He often caught passes for "alley-oop" dunks, which were a big part of the Clippers' "Lob City" era.
Experts praised Blake's ability to pass the ball and make plays. They said his game was more than just scoring and rebounding. As he got older and dealt with knee issues, Blake changed his game. He dunked less and started shooting more from long range. He became good at three-point shots. Nets coach Steve Nash noted how Blake adapted his game, becoming a great passer and shooter.
Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | L.A. Clippers | 82 | 82* | 38.0 | .506 | .292 | .642 | 12.1 | 3.8 | .8 | .5 | 22.5 |
| 2011–12 | L.A. Clippers | 66* | 66* | 36.3 | .549 | .125 | .521 | 10.9 | 3.2 | .8 | .7 | 20.7 |
| 2012–13 | L.A. Clippers | 80 | 80 | 32.5 | .538 | .179 | .660 | 8.3 | 3.7 | 1.2 | .6 | 18.0 |
| 2013–14 | L.A. Clippers | 80 | 80 | 36.1 | .528 | .273 | .715 | 9.5 | 3.9 | 1.2 | .6 | 24.1 |
| 2014–15 | L.A. Clippers | 67 | 67 | 35.2 | .502 | .400 | .728 | 7.6 | 5.3 | .9 | .5 | 21.9 |
| 2015–16 | L.A. Clippers | 35 | 35 | 33.4 | .499 | .333 | .727 | 8.4 | 4.9 | .8 | .5 | 21.4 |
| 2016–17 | L.A. Clippers | 61 | 61 | 34.0 | .493 | .336 | .760 | 8.1 | 4.9 | 1.0 | .4 | 21.6 |
| 2017–18 | L.A. Clippers | 33 | 33 | 34.5 | .441 | .342 | .785 | 7.9 | 5.4 | .9 | .3 | 22.6 |
| Detroit | 25 | 25 | 33.2 | .433 | .348 | .784 | 6.6 | 6.2 | .4 | .4 | 19.8 | |
| 2018–19 | Detroit | 75 | 75 | 35.0 | .463 | .362 | .753 | 7.5 | 5.4 | .7 | .4 | 24.5 |
| 2019–20 | Detroit | 18 | 18 | 28.4 | .352 | .243 | .776 | 4.7 | 3.3 | .4 | .4 | 15.5 |
| 2020–21 | Detroit | 20 | 20 | 31.3 | .365 | .315 | .710 | 5.2 | 3.9 | .7 | .1 | 12.3 |
| Brooklyn | 26 | 10 | 21.5 | .492 | .383 | .782 | 4.7 | 2.4 | .7 | .5 | 10.0 | |
| 2021–22 | Brooklyn | 56 | 24 | 17.1 | .425 | .262 | .724 | 4.1 | 1.9 | .5 | .3 | 6.4 |
| 2022–23 | Boston | 41 | 16 | 13.9 | .485 | .348 | .656 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .3 | .2 | 4.1 |
| Career | 765 | 692 | 31.9 | .493 | .328 | .696 | 8.0 | 4.0 | .8 | .5 | 19.0 | |
| All-Star | 5 | 3 | 25.0 | .750 | .375 | .500 | 5.6 | 3.0 | .8 | .2 | 19.4 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | L.A. Clippers | 11 | 11 | 35.7 | .500 | .000 | .636 | 6.9 | 2.5 | 1.8 | .9 | 19.1 |
| 2013 | L.A. Clippers | 6 | 5 | 26.3 | .453 | — | .808 | 5.5 | 2.5 | .0 | .8 | 13.2 |
| 2014 | L.A. Clippers | 13 | 13 | 36.8 | .498 | .143 | .740 | 7.4 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 23.5 |
| 2015 | L.A. Clippers | 14 | 14 | 39.8 | .511 | .143 | .717 | 12.7 | 6.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 25.5 |
| 2016 | L.A. Clippers | 4 | 4 | 31.8 | .377 | .500 | .760 | 8.8 | 4.0 | .8 | .5 | 15.0 |
| 2017 | L.A. Clippers | 3 | 3 | 33.1 | .490 | .667 | 1.000 | 6.0 | 2.3 | .7 | .3 | 20.3 |
| 2019 | Detroit | 2 | 2 | 29.0 | .462 | .462 | 1.000 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 1.0 | .0 | 24.5 |
| 2021 | Brooklyn | 12 | 12 | 26.5 | .532 | .389 | .714 | 5.9 | 1.8 | .8 | .5 | 9.0 |
| 2022 | Brooklyn | 2 | 0 | 12.5 | .286 | .400 | 1.000 | 2.0 | 2.0 | .5 | .5 | 4.0 |
| 2023 | Boston | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | .000 | — | — | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| Career | 68 | 64 | 32.6 | .492 | .377 | .731 | 7.7 | 3.5 | 1.0 | .8 | 18.2 | |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | Oklahoma | 33 | 33 | 28.4 | .568 | .000 | .589 | 9.1 | 1.8 | 1.0 | .9 | 14.7 |
| 2008–09 | Oklahoma | 35 | 35 | 33.3 | .646 | .375 | .590 | 14.4 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 22.7 |
| Career | 68 | 68 | 31.4 | .618 | .300 | .589 | 11.8 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 18.8 | |
Awards and Honors
NBA
- NBA All-Star: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019
- All-NBA Second Team: 2012, 2013, 2014
- All-NBA Third Team: 2015, 2019
- NBA Rookie of the Year: 2011
- NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2011
- NBA Slam Dunk Champion: 2011
- Western Conference Player of the Month: March 2014
- Western Conference Rookie of the Month: November 2010, December 2010, January 2011, February 2011, March 2011, April 2011
College
- 2009 Naismith College Player of the Year
- 2009 NABC Player of the Year
- 2009 AP National Player of the Year
- 2009 AP All-American First Team
- 2009 John Wooden Award
- 2009 Adolph Rupp Trophy
- 2009 Oscar Robertson Trophy
- 2009 Sports Illustrated Player of the Year
- 2009 Sporting News Player of the Year
- 2009 NCAA rebounding leader
- Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards
- 2009 Big 12 Player of the Year
- 2009 All-Big 12 First Team
- 2008 All-Big 12 First Team
- 2008 Big 12 All-Rookie Team
High School
- Class 2A State Championship: 2006, 2007
- Class 2A Tournament MVP: 2006, 2007
- Class 3A State Championship: 2004, 2005
- 2007 McDonald's All-American
- 2007 McDonald's All-American Slam Dunk Champion
- 2007 EA Sports All-American Second Team
- 2007 Parade All-American Third Team
- 2007 Tulsa World Player of the Year
- The Oklahoman Player of the Year: 2006, 2007
- 2007 Oklahoma Boys All-State First Team
- 2006 Tulsa World Boys All-State First Team
- 2005 Little All-City All-State Team
Off the Court
TV and Comedy
Blake Griffin has appeared on TV shows and in movies. He was on "Sports Show with Norm Macdonald" and in the movie "The Female Brain." Critics said he was good at acting. In 2020, he hosted his own hidden camera TV show called "Double Cross with Blake Griffin."
Blake also enjoys stand-up comedy. He hosted a comedy festival in Montreal and had his own show called "Comedy by Blake." He even appeared on a "Comedy Central Roast."
Endorsements and Charity
Blake has deals with companies like Panini America, Kia Motors, and Subway. He was on the cover of video games like "NCAA Basketball 10" and "NBA 2K13."
He started a fundraiser called "Dunking for Dollars" to fight childhood obesity. He donated money for every dunk he made. He also helped raise money for "Stand Up to Cancer" in honor of a friend. In 2020, Blake pledged to help arena staff who couldn't work during the pandemic.
Personal Life
Blake is one of five children. His older brother, Taylor Griffin, also played professional basketball.
Blake has two children with Brynn Cameron. He is a Christian and has spoken about his faith. In August 2024, he officiated the wedding of his former Celtics teammate Payton Pritchard.
Images for kids
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Griffin with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022
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Griffin while playing at Oklahoma
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Griffin in a game against the Washington Wizards on March 12, 2011
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Griffin (left) and Zach Randolph of the Memphis Grizzlies in a 2013 game
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Griffin with the Clippers in 2013
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Griffin hanging on the rim
