Blake Griffin has announced his retirement from basketball after 14 years in the NBA. Griffin, the first overall choice in the 2009 NBA draft, expressed gratitude to friends, family, fans, teammates, and coaches via social media.
Blake Griffin, the first overall choice in the 2009 NBA draft, has ended his career. The sportsman announced his retirement from basketball on April 16 in a lengthy Instagram message.
Griffin, 35, played seven seasons for the Los Angeles Clippers after being chosen in 2009. He has also played with the Detroit Pistons, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Boston Celtics.
His announcement came in the form of a digital letter, in which he stated that he "never envisioned" himself as "the guy who would have a 'letter to basketball' retirement announcement" in the post.
The 2011 dunk contest winner stated that he is "thankful for every single moment - not just the good ones," including "the awards, the dunks, and the memorable moments spent with family, friends, fans, teammates, and coaches."
Griffin said he is "equally thankful for the not-so-good moments" of his NBA career. "The losses, the injuries, the wayyy too many surgeries, the lessons, the heartbreaks, and it wouldn't be a sports retirement letter without acknowledging the 'haters,'" he went on to say.
"The game of basketball has given me so much in this life, and I wouldn't change a thing," he said. "Last but not least, here's the customary 'I'm excited for my next chapter' section: just kidding, I'm done. "Thank you."
Griffin was well-known for his tremendous agility in the NBA. Throughout his career, he was named to the All-Star squad six times, second-team All-NBA three times, third-team All-NBA twice, and Rookie of the Year in 2011.
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