Blake Griffin is one of the best young stars in the NBA today. While he is primarily known for his high flying dunks, he is developing into one of the best power forwards in the league. Griffin, along with his teammates DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul, have turned the Clippers franchise around and they are often referred to as Lob City. Paul and Griffin are a major reason the Clippers are one of the top teams in the league today and the future is certainly bright in Los Angeles.

Early Years

Griffin was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on March 16, 1989. His father, Tommy Griffin, was a college basketball and track athlete. Griffin’s older brother, Taylor, was also a very talented athlete and they played basketball, baseball, and football together. In his freshman year in high school, Griffin followed his brother to Oklahoma Christian School. Griffin was on the basketball team, however; he did not play much.

Taylor and the team were very successful as they finished the season 29-0 and won the state championship. In his sophomore year, Griffin became a starter for the Christian Saints and he was extremely successful.

He averaged nearly 14 points per game as a sophomore. Once again, the Christian Saints won the state championship, finishing with a record of 24-2.

While Taylor graduated high school and went on to play basketball at the University of Oklahoma, Griffin continued to dominate the high school ranks. In the summer of his high school season, Griffin began playing AAU basketball with current Laker player Xavier Henry.

His AAU team competed against some of the best local competition including the DC Blue Devils who had Kevin Durant and Ty Lawson. In his junior season, Griffin continued to grow, and so did his game. He averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists per game. Once again the Christian Saints won the state championship and finished the season with a record of 27-1. Griffin was also named the Oklahoma Player of the Year and was quickly attracting the attention of college coaches.

One of the first schools to begin recruiting Griffin was Jeff Capel, the new head coach for Oklahoma. Griffin had received offers from powerhouses such as Duke, Kansas, Texas, and North Carolina. However, the opportunity to play with his brother, and his hometown school were too hard to pass up.

Before his senior season began, Griffin committed to Oklahoma. In his senior year, Griffin averaged 27 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists per game. The Christian Saints once again emerged as the state champions and finished with a record of 26-3. At the conclusion of his career Griffin finished with four state titles, two Oklahoma Player of the Year award, and a combined high school record of 106-6. By this point Griffin was regarded as one of the top prospects in the nation, but he stayed true to the University of Oklahoma.

College Career

Joining Oklahoma as one of their most decorated recruits, Griffin shined in the spotlight. In nearly thirty minutes a game Griffin averaged 15 points and nine rebounds per game. In ranked among the top in nearly every statistical category for the Big-12 and was a first team All-Big 12 selection.

Throughout his freshman year, Griffin struggled with knee injuries, which caused his to miss a handful of games. Many expected Griffin to declare for the NBA Draft, as he was a projected lottery pick. However, Griffin decided to return for his sophomore year in order to improve physically.

Griffin and the Sooners had very high expectations going into the season. The Sooners opened the season by winning their first 12 games, largely in part to Blake. Blake dominated throughout the season and he led the Sooners to a record of 27-5. On the season, Griffin averaged 23 points, 14 rebounds, and two assists per game. He led the Big 12 in scoring and led the nation in rebounding. Griffin also finished the season with 30 double-doubles, making him one short of the record set by David Robinson. The Griffin brothers led Oklahoma to the elite Eight, where they were defeated by North Carolina. Griffin won the National Player of the Year Award as well as many other first-team selections. Following his sophomore season Griffin declared for the NBA draft.

Professional Career

Griffin was selected first overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Griffin played for the Clippers summer league team and earned significant minutes in the preseason. However, in the final game of the preseason Griffin injured his kneecap following a dunk. He suffered a stress fracture and was expected to miss seven weeks. After a few weeks, more tests revealed that the knee was not recovering correctly, forcing him to have surgery. This operation caused Griffin to miss the entire season as he rehabbed his knee.

To begin the 2010 season, Griffin was still considered a rookie since he missed the entire previous season. Griffin was extremely successful as a rookie and recorded 27 consecutive double-doubles. Griffin was also named as a reserve on the All-Star team, making him the first since Yao Ming in 2003. He also won the Dunk Contest during the All-Star break. Griffin averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists as a rookie, earning him Rookie of the Year honors.

In his second season, Griffin and his new teammate Chris Paul, were very successful and led the Clippers to newfound success. The Clippers finished with a record of 40-26, making it the first time since 2006 the Clippers made the playoffs. Blake was named to his second All-Star game as he finished with averages of 20 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists per game. The Clippers managed to beat the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs, however; they were swept in the next round by the Spurs.

Before the start of his third season, Griffin signed a contract extension worth $95 million. This contract will keep him with the Clippers until the 2017 season. Griffin was also selected to compete in the Summer Olympics for team USA; however a knee injury kept him from joining the team. Griffin was once again named to the All-Star team; however his production declined greatly, as he averaged 18 points and eight assists per game. The Clippers once again made the playoffs with a record of 56-26; unfortunately, they fell to the Grizzlies in six games.

Now in his fourth season, the Clippers are currently fourth in the West with a record of 39-20. Blake is in the midst of a career year and is currently averaging 24 points and 10 assists per game. He was named to his fourth consecutive All-Star game.

Personal Life and Accomplishments

• While known for his tremendous dunking ability, Griffin is one of the better passing big men in the league today
• Griffin is good friends with former Oklahoma quarterback and current St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford
• Blake and his brother were homeschooled until the eighth grade
• Griffin has a son with Brynn Cameron
• Griffin has numerous endorsements including Subway, Kia, and AT&T.
• Blake appeared on the cover of NCAA Basketball 10 video game
• Griffin is a devout Christian