Six-time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin announced his retirement after 15 seasons in the NBA on Tuesday.
Griffin did not play this year and last suited up with the Boston Celtics last season.
“I never envisioned myself as the guy who would have a ‘letter to basketball’ retirement announcement … and I’m still not going to be that guy,” Griffin said in a social media post. “But as I reflect on my career, the one feeling I kept coming back to and the one thing I wanted to express was thankfulness.”
Griffin concluded the statement by saying: “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.”
The Oklahoma City native was drafted first overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2009 after spending two seasons with the Oklahoma Sooners and winning all six national college player of the year awards.
His rookie season was delayed by a year after he injured his knee during Summer League play.
Griffin burst onto the scene during the 2010-11 season and played in the NBA All-Star Game. He also competed in the Rookie Challenge and won the Slam Dunk Contest leaping over the hood of a car.
He was a three-time All-NBA second team selection (2012-14) and two-time All-NBA third-team selection (2015 and 2019).
Griffin spent eight seasons with the Clippers and also played with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets and Celtics.
The 35-year-old finished with career averages of 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
