High-flying forward Blake Griffin has decided to end his NBA career after announcing his retirement from the game on social media.
Griffin played 14 seasons in the NBA, most of it with the Los Angeles Clippers. He is credited with giving birth to the Lob City together with Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan.
He made it to six All-Star Games and three All-NBA Second Team.
"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 a five-paragraph post on X, formerly Twitter.
"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.'"
Griffin, 35, is known for his flying dunks. He once jumped on a car, towered above Kendrick Perkins and Amare Stoudemire, and introduced himself as a rookie by dunking on Pau Gasol.
He is basically the reason Lob City came into existence during one of the Clippers' best eras.
His dunks are iconic, but there are other things Griffin is worth remembering aside from those thunderous slams.
1. "Accidentally" poured water on a fan
Things were getting heated between the Golden State Warriors and the Clippers in a playoff game in 2014.
The game was tied at 105, and Griffin earned his sixth foul.
Blake Griffin pours water on a fan.
— LakerMuse (@Laker_Muse) March 12, 2024
Which fan base would you do this to? pic.twitter.com/cAjiBLXqb6
Some fans were just too happy that Griffin was out of the game.
The player took exception to the jeering and expressed it subtly with some acting.
He found the chance to get back at the fan by grabbing a cup of water and gesturing in disbelief at the foul call on him.
Just like his dunks, the water splashed right onto the fan.
2. Tunnel incident with CP3
CP3 returned to Staples Center in 2018 as part of the Houston Rockets.
Things were heated. Griffin threw the ball on Eric Gordon's back during one play that some Rockets players did not appreciate.
He and Ariza were both ejected, but it did not stop there.
Several Rockets reportedly barged into the Clippers' locker room with the help of CP3, who knows the tunnel going to the Clippers' room.
The incident set the internet on fire. BG summarized what happened in one tweet.
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin23) January 16, 2018
3. All-Star Rookie
A rookie All-Star is very rare in the NBA. Not even LeBron James or Kevin Durant were able to do it.
Blake Griffin was the last to make it to the NBA All-Star Game as a rookie in 2011.
The other guys who did it made it to the Hall of Fame.
Yao Ming was an All-Star rookie in 2003, and so was San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan in 1998.
Maybe BG has a case for the Naismith Hall of Fame.
4. Almost MVP behind KD and Lebron
Griffin's best year came in the 2013-2014 season when he led the Clippers to a third-place finish in the Western Conference.
He was third in the season MVP voting behind Lebron James and Kevin Durant, who was adjudged the winner.
Related article: Blake Griffin Drops Parting Message to Confirm Retirement; Trae Young Reacts
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