Blake Griffin's time has come. After 14 years in the NBA, he called it quits. He published a post on X Tuesday that included a graphic with the word “Fin,” which means “end” in French, as well as words that would conclude his NBA career.
“I never imagined I'd be the guy who announces his retirement on 'Letters to Basketball'…and I'm still not going to be that guy,” Griffin said of X (previously). (formerly known as Twitter). “But as I look back on my career, what I kept coming back to and wanting to express was gratitude.”.”
Griffin, 35, spent more than half of his career with the Los Angeles Clippers, but also spent more than three years with the Detroit Pistons, two years with the Brooklyn Nets and one season with the Boston Celtics. Griffin spent the 2023-2024 NBA season as a free agent.
Many of the replies to his retirement article acknowledged that Griffin is a Lob City legend thanks to the seven-plus seasons he spent with the Clippers from 2009 to 2018. Griffin was part of the Clippers' renaissance, along with Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan. They were nicknamed Lob City because of their style and swagger on the court. Griffin's incredible dunking skills are one of the reasons the Clips went from a laughing stock to a must-see on TV.
However, Griffin's career was marred by injuries and surgeries, which he mentioned in his retirement article.
“I'm just as grateful for the not-so-good moments: losses, injuries, too many surgeries, lessons, heartbreaks. And if I don't acknowledge the 'haters,' this is my retirement from the sport.” All of these experiences have made my 14 years in the league truly unforgettable, and I can't help but feel grateful.”
In fact, Griffin's professional career began with an injury. He played 13 seasons in the NBA, but was in the NBA for 14 seasons. Drafted No. 1 overall by the Clippers in 2009, Griffin fractured his kneecap during the team's final preseason game and ended up missing the entire 2009-2010 season. But he was worth the wait. He had a dynamite first season, averaging 22.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game while shooting 51% from the field, en route to winning Rookie of the Year.
Despite injuries and surgeries, Griffin was often sensational and continued to adapt, change, and grow wherever he went. He finished his career averaging 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game, appeared in six All-Star Games, and was named All-NBA five times.
“The game of basketball has given me so much in this life and I wouldn't change a thing,” Griffin concluded his post. “Last but not least, here comes the obligatory 'I'm looking forward to the next chapter' part. Just kidding, that's it.”
