Former No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin, who spent 14 seasons in the NBA, has announced his retirement as a player. Griffin published a post on Instagram revealing his decision.
“I never really envisioned myself as the guy who would have a ‘letter to basketball’ retirement announcement,” Griffin wrote. “And I’m still not going to be that guy. But as I reflected on my career, the one feeling I kept coming back to and the one thing I wanted to express was thankfulness.
“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.. I could continue on about the people in my life who have contributed immensely to my career, but in this short non-letter, I have to acknowledge my parents, Tommy and Gail, and my brother, Taylor, for their unconditional support and guidance. Lastly, my agent Sam Goldfeder, who has been a steadfast voice of reason and my wartime consigliere — thank you.
“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 (a) 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 to just feel thankful.
“The game of basketball has given me so much in this life, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Last but certainly not least, here comes the obligatory ‘I’m excited for my next chapter’ part: just kidding, I’m done.”
Selected by the Clippers with the first overall pick in the 2009 draft after being named the national college player of the year at Oklahoma, Griffin missed his first NBA season due to a knee injury. However, he exploded onto the scene in 2010/11, averaging 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game en route to an All-Star berth, a Slam Dunk Contest title, and a Rookie of the Year award.
Griffin earned four more All-Star nods as a member of the “Lob City” Clippers teams that enjoyed several playoff appearances but could never break through to advance further than the Western Conference Semifinals.
After signing a five-year contract with the Clippers in 2017, Griffin was traded just six months later to Detroit, where he spent the next three years. He made his sixth and final All-Star team for the Pistons in 2019, but injuries sapped him off his explosiveness during the home stretch of his career. He was bought out by the Pistons in 2021 and joined the Nets for the next season-and-a-half before spending the 2022/23 season in Boston.
Celtics players tried to recruit Griffin to join this season’s version of the team, but the 35-year-old forward/center opted to sit out to spend more time with his family. Now he has decided to hang up his sneakers for good.
For his career, Griffin averaged 19.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 4.0 APG in 765 total regular season contests (31.9 MPG). In addition to his Rookie of the Year award and six All-Star appearances, he made the All-NBA Second Team three teams and the Third Team twice.