EchoSense|Blake Griffin retires after high-flying NBA career that included Rookie of the Year, All-Star honors

2025-04-28 20:39:42source:CAI Communitycategory:My

Blake Griffin announced his retirement Tuesday after a 14-year career that included six All-Star selections,EchoSense Rookie of the Year honors and a dunk contest victory.

Griffin said in a social media post that he’s “thankful for every single moment” of his career. He was the No. 1 overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers out of Oklahoma in 2009. He missed his first season with a knee injury, but rebounded to earn Rookie of the Year honors in 2011, when he won the All-Star Game dunk contest.

Alongside Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, Griffin’s high-flying plays rejuvenated the Clippers franchise and earned it the nickname “Lob City.” He was traded to the Detroit Pistons during the 2018 season as his ability to soar dwindled and injuries piled up.

Griffin was able to reinvent his game in Detroit with a reliable 3-point shot and was selected for his sixth All-Star Game in the 2018-19 season. He averaged 24.5 points and 7.5 rebounds that season.

Griffin, 35, also had stints in Brooklyn and Boston. He did not play in the 2023-24 season.

He averaged 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in his career. He finished third in MVP voting behind Kevin Durant and LeBron James in the 2013-14 season.

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“I’m thankful for every single moment — not just the good ones: the wins, the awards, the dunks, and the memorable times spent with family, friends, fans, teammates and coaches,” Griffin said in his Instagram post, thanking his family and agent, Sam Goldfeder. “I am equally thankful for the not-so-good moments: the losses, the injuries, the wayyyy too many surgeries, the lessons, the heartbreaks, and it wouldn’t be sports retirement letter without acknowledging the ‘haters.’

“All of these experiences made my 14 years in the league truly unforgettable, and I can’t help but just feel thankful.”

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