With the Celtics, this Clippers legend got one final taste of NBA happiness
Widely regarded as the greatest to don the Clippers uniform, Blake Griffin played an integral role in putting Lob City on the NBA map.
Drafted as the first pick in 2009, Griffin won Rookie of the Year and played eight seasons for the Clips, capturing the attention of fans, players, and media.
Unfortunately, Griffin faced a rough period in the NBA after his long association with the Clippers, bouncing around between teams and physical ailments. Playing for the Pistons, followed by the Nets, the 2011 dunk contest winner's athletic abilities began to wear off due to the injuries he faced.
In 2022, the six-time All-Star signed a veteran's minimum with the Celtics. In Boston, the 35-year-old felt a sense of renewed energy, playing alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Griffin said back then that he hadn't felt this way since his days with the Clippers .
Blake Show's career finale
At the start of the 2022 season, Griffin was excited to embark on the final leg of his career with the Celtics. The former Clippers superstar had high praise for his new organization and their achievements.
"The intensity in those (preseason) games and in practice and shootaround has been something I haven't seen in a while," revealed Griffin in October 2022, after a few weeks in training with the Celtics. "Probably since my Clipper days when we were really making a run for it. The maturity of this team, and some of us sat down in the meal room for probably two and a half hours and just talked, and more and more people came, and it was a group of like 10 of us."
Playing the reserve role, Griffin would work in a limited capacity with the Cs before deciding to retire in April 2024, when the former superstar felt the time had come for him to hang his boots.
Future Hall of Famer and Clippers jersey retirement
Griffin, a first-ballot future Hall of Famer, served as the Clippers organization's turning point. The former All-NBA forward carried LA's forgotten team to the playoffs and was a key part of the Lob City era, helping the Clips finally gain an identity.
Fans have been calling for the Clippers to retire Blake's jersey. What better time to do it than when the Intuit Dome is set to open for the 2024-25 season?
Related: Ranking the best seasons in Clippers franchise historyThis story was originally published September 21, 2024, 3:00 AM.
