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 a former professional basketball player from the United States. He was known for his amazing dunks and powerful play. Griffin mostly played for the Los Angeles Clippers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Oklahoma Sooners. In his second year of college, he was named the best college player in the country.
The Clippers chose Blake Griffin as the very first pick in the 2009 NBA draft. He became a six-time NBA All-Star and was chosen for the All-NBA Team five times. In 2018, Griffin was traded to the Detroit Pistons. He later played for the Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics. Blake Griffin retired from basketball in 2023.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Blake Griffin was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His father, Tommy Griffin, was a basketball player and track star in college. 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 often played basketball at a gym owned by Bradford's father. Before focusing on basketball, Blake also enjoyed playing other sports like baseball and football.
High School Basketball Career
In 2003, Blake joined his brother Taylor at Oklahoma Christian School. They played basketball for their father, who was the coach. Together, they won two state basketball championships. In Blake's first year, their team, the Oklahoma Christian Saints, had a perfect season, winning all 29 games and the Class 3A state championship.
The Saints won the Class 3A state championship again in Blake's second year. He was named to the Little All-City All-State team. After this, his brother Taylor went to play college basketball for the Oklahoma Sooners. In the summer of 2005, Blake played for an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team called Athletes First.
During his junior year, Blake's team moved to Class 2A. He led them to their third straight state championship. Blake was named the state tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP). He averaged 21.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. His great play caught the eye of Jeff Capel, the new basketball coach for Oklahoma. Blake had thought about playing for other big colleges, but his brother convinced him to join Oklahoma.
Blake committed to Oklahoma before his senior year. He continued to play exceptionally well, averaging 26.8 points, 15.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2.9 blocks per game. His team won their fourth straight state title in his final high school game in 2007. Blake was named the Class 2A state tournament MVP for the second year in a row. During his four years, the Oklahoma Christian Saints had an amazing record of 106 wins and only 6 losses.
After high school, Blake received many honors. He was named Player of the Year by two major newspapers. He was also selected for the McDonald's All-American team. At the McDonald's All-American game, he won the Slam Dunk Contest.
College Basketball Career
Playing for Oklahoma
Blake Griffin was one of the most highly praised new players to join the Oklahoma Sooners. In his first year (freshman season), he averaged 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds. He helped the Sooners achieve a 23–12 record. He was among the top players in the Big 12 Conference for scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage. During the season, he had a couple of knee injuries but still played well. He was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and the All-Big 12 First Team. Many expected him to join the NBA after his freshman year, but he decided to stay in college to get stronger and help Oklahoma try to win the NCAA championship.
Sophomore Season Success
In his second year (sophomore season), the Sooners started strong, winning their first 12 games. Blake had an incredible game against Davidson, scoring 25 points and grabbing 21 rebounds. In the very next game, he scored 35 points and had 21 rebounds against Gardner–Webb. 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 also set a career high with 40 points and 23 rebounds in a game against Texas Tech.
Blake led the NCAA in rebounding during his sophomore year. He also set new school and Big 12 records for most rebounds in a season (504) and rebounding average (14.4). He had 30 "double-doubles" (meaning he had double-digit numbers in two stats, like points and rebounds) during the season, which was close to the NCAA record.
For his outstanding performance, Blake Griffin won all six major national player of the year awards. This included the Naismith College Player of the Year and the John Wooden Award. He was the first Oklahoma player ever to win so many top awards. After this successful season, he announced he would enter the NBA draft.
Professional Basketball Career
Joining the Los Angeles Clippers
Early Injury and Rookie Year
On April 7, 2009, Blake Griffin decided to leave college early and enter the NBA draft. The Los Angeles Clippers selected him as the first overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft. He chose to wear jersey number 32 for the Clippers. Unfortunately, Blake injured his left kneecap in the final preseason game of 2009. This injury required surgery, and he had to miss the entire 2009–10 NBA season.
Since he missed his first season, Blake was still considered a rookie in the 2010–11 NBA season. He made his NBA debut with 20 points and 14 rebounds. He quickly became known for his amazing dunks and strong play. He set a Clippers record with 23 consecutive "double-doubles." On January 17, 2011, he scored a career-high 47 points against the Indiana Pacers, setting a new Clippers rookie record for points in a game.
Blake was chosen by coaches to play in the 2011 NBA All-Star Game, becoming the first rookie All-Star since 2003. He also won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest during the All-Star Weekend with an incredible jump over a car. He recorded his first "triple-double" (double-digit numbers in three stats) in March 2011. Blake won all six Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards. He played in all 82 regular season games and was named the Rookie of the Year unanimously.
First Playoff Appearances
Blake Griffin was voted a starter for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. He continued to average a "double-double" with 20.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. He and his new teammate Chris Paul helped the Clippers reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006. They won their first playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies but were then swept by the San Antonio Spurs. After the season, Blake was named to the All-NBA Second Team.
Before the 2012–13 NBA season, Blake signed a big contract extension with the Clippers. He was again voted an All-Star starter for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game. He recorded his third career triple-double in March 2013. Blake and Chris Paul led the Clippers to win their first-ever Pacific Division title. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Memphis Grizzlies. Blake was named to the All-NBA Second Team again.
New Coach and Team Ownership
In 2013, the Clippers hired Doc Rivers as their new head coach. In his first season with Rivers, Blake averaged a career-high 24.1 points per game. He was voted a starter for the 2014 NBA All-Star Game, his fourth straight All-Star appearance. He had a franchise record of 31 straight games scoring 20 or more points. The Clippers won their second division title. Blake recorded his fourth career triple-double.
The Clippers finished with a team-best record of 57–25 and made the playoffs. They beat the Golden State Warriors in seven games. Blake scored a playoff career-high 35 points in one of those games. They then lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Blake was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the third year in a row. After the season, the Clippers got a new owner, Steve Ballmer, who bought the team for a record amount.
In December 2014, Blake scored a season-high 45 points, including a game-winning shot at the buzzer, to help the Clippers win. This was his first game-winning buzzer-beater. He missed 15 games in early 2015 due to an elbow infection. Blake finished the regular season averaging 21.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and a career-high 5.3 assists.
In the 2015 playoffs, Blake recorded his first career playoff triple-double. He had another triple-double in Game 7 of the first round, helping the Clippers advance. He then had his second straight triple-double in Game 1 of the next series against the Houston Rockets. The Clippers eventually lost that series.
Dealing with Injuries
Blake Griffin faced more injuries in the 2015–16 NBA season. He missed many games due to a quadriceps injury and a hand injury. He returned for the playoffs but re-injured his quad, which ended his postseason early.
In the 2016–17 NBA season, Blake continued to play well when healthy. He scored a season-high 28 points in November 2016. He reached 4,000 rebounds in his career, becoming one of the fastest players to reach certain milestones in points, rebounds, and assists. He also reached 10,000 career points, becoming only the second player in Clippers franchise history to do so. However, he again missed time due to knee surgery and a toe injury, which ended his 2017 playoff run early.
In July 2017, Blake re-signed with the Clippers. He had a triple-double in November 2017 and another in January 2018. He missed about two months due to an MCL sprain but returned earlier than expected.
Detroit Pistons
New Team and Big Games
On January 29, 2018, Blake Griffin was traded to the Detroit Pistons. He changed his jersey number back to 23, which he wore in college. In his first game for the Pistons, he had 24 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. He became the first Pistons player since 1994 to have such a strong debut. He missed the final eight games of the season due to an ankle injury.
On October 23, 2018, Blake scored a career-high 50 points in an overtime win against the Philadelphia 76ers. He was the first Pistons player to score 50 points in a game since 2006. He also became the first NBA player to score 50 points in the 2018–19 NBA season. In December, he passed 12,000 career points. He scored 44 points against his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, in January 2019. He also set a Pistons franchise record for most points scored in a single month. He had another triple-double in February 2019. After the playoffs, he had surgery on his left knee.
Injuries Continue
Blake missed the first 10 games of the 2019–20 NBA season while recovering from knee surgery. After playing 18 games, he had a second surgery on his left knee in January 2020, which caused him to miss the rest of that season.
He returned for the start of the 2020–21 NBA season but struggled with his performance. In March 2021, his contract with the Pistons was bought out, meaning he became a free agent.
Brooklyn Nets
On March 8, 2021, Blake Griffin signed with the Brooklyn Nets. He made his debut on March 21. In May, he recorded 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, but then the coach decided to use other players more. In February 2022, he scored a season-high 19 points.
Boston Celtics and Retirement
On September 30, 2022, Blake Griffin signed a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics. He chose jersey number 91.
On April 16, 2024, Blake Griffin announced that he was retiring from professional basketball.
Player Profile
Blake Griffin is 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 251 pounds. He mainly played as a power forward. In his rookie year, he averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. He was known for his amazing dunks, especially from "alley-oops" (a play where one player throws the ball near the basket and another player jumps up and dunks it). This style of play was a big part of the Clippers' "Lob City" era.
As his career went on, Blake started to dunk less and play in a way that was easier on his knees. He improved his jump shot, even becoming good at shooting from three-point range. Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash noted how Blake changed his game, becoming better at handling the ball, passing, and shooting three-pointers.
Career Statistics
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
Television and Comedy
Blake Griffin has also explored acting and comedy. He appeared in an episode of Broad City in 2016. He also acted in the comedy movie The Female Brain, where critics praised his acting skills. In 2020, it was announced that Blake would host a hidden camera TV show called Double Cross with Blake Griffin, which started in March 2021.
Blake's interest in stand-up comedy grew while he lived in Los Angeles. He hosted the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal in 2016 and later had his own show called Comedy by Blake. He also appeared on the Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin in 2019.
Endorsements
Blake Griffin has signed deals with several companies. He was featured on the covers of video games like NCAA Basketball 10 and NBA 2K13. He has also appeared in commercials for brands like Kia Motors and Subway.
Helping Others
Blake Griffin started a fundraiser called "Dunking for Dollars." For every dunk he makes during the season, he donates $100 to help fight childhood obesity. The car he jumped over to win the Slam Dunk Contest was auctioned off for charity, with the money going to Stand Up to Cancer. He also has a fundraising site called "Team Blake" in honor of a friend who passed away from cancer.
In March 2020, Blake pledged $100,000 to help the staff of the Little Caesars Arena who could not work when the NBA season was paused due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
Personal Life
Blake is one of five children. His older brother, Taylor Griffin, is also a professional basketball player.
See also
In Spanish: Blake Griffin para niños
