Griffin played 14 seasons with the Clippers, Pistons, Nets and Celtics
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Six-time NBA All-Star and former OCS basketball player Blake Griffin. Courtesy of OCS basketball Twitter @ocssaintshoops
Former Oklahoma Christian School state champion Blake Griffin announced his retirement from the NBA last week after 14 seasons.
A six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection, Griffin officially hangs it up after penning a letter to his Instagram account on Tuesday, April 16.
“The game of basketball has given me so much in this life, and I wouldn’t change a thing,” Griffin said. “I’m thankful for every single moment–not just the good ones: the wins, the awards, the dunks, and the memorable time spent with family, friends, fans, teammates, and coaches.”
After winning four state championships at OCS and becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer, Griffin became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft following two dominant seasons at the University of Oklahoma. He was drafted to the Los Angeles Clippers and was awarded Rookie of the Year in 2011 after missing his first season with injury.
Known most for his days on the “Lob City” Los Angeles Clippers teams from 2010 to 2014, Griffin excelled in the NBA with his high-flying dunks and out-of-this-world athleticism. His time in L.A. saw him earn five All-Star selections while putting up 21.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Griffin spent eight seasons with the Clippers before joining Detroit Pistons in 2018, where he earned one more All-Star selection. He made stops with the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics before finally calling it a career after 14 years.
Griffin was born in Oklahoma City on March 16, 1989, and was homeschooled until he reached the eighth grade. It was then that he enrolled at Oklahoma Christian School along with his brother, Taylor. Four state titles and multiple broken school records later, Blake went down as one of the best basketball players in Oklahoma high school history.
As a senior at OCS, he averaged 26.8 points, 15.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.9 blocks per game en route to becoming a McDonald’s All-American as well as the 2007 Gatorade Oklahoma Player of the Year.
Griffin played his college ball at OU, wasting no time in becoming one of the most dominant players in the country. After two seasons in Norman, he collected numerous awards including the 2009 National College Player of the Year, 2009 Big 12 Player of the Year and a 2009 consensus first-team All-American.
The 14-year NBA veteran ends his career with totals of 14,513 points, 6,109 rebounds and 3,055 assists. His scoring record at Oklahoma Christian School stood for 17 years until it was eclipsed in 2024 by Luke Gray.