Blake Griffin hasn’t played in the NBA in recent seasons, but he still remembers clearly why he decided to leave the NBA. That became clear to him when he played against up-and-coming stars during his final stint in the NBA with the Boston Celtics.
Blake Griffin was one of the best power forwards in the game during his career. He always found a way to throw down a ton of dunks as the linchpin of the Los Angeles Clippers and was initially one of the best athletes in the NBA. He had many poster dunks during his career, including against Pau Gasol and Kendrick Perkins.
As he grew up, Griffin became a more versatile power forward who could be both a scorer and a playmaker. When that stage of his career ended, Griffin became a role player who was a good guy in the locker room.
Griffin’s last season was the 2022-23 season with the Boston Celtics, where he enjoyed his time. But after playing against now-star Cleveland Cavaliers standout Evan Mobley, he began to realize it was time to retire.
After all, Griffin had a decent 14-year career. He may have retired earlier than most expected, but he left a strong impression on the NBA community. He proved wrong those who thought his athletic ability was the only driving force behind his rise to stardom.
As his athleticism began to decline, he made the necessary adjustments to continue being a star with the Detroit Pistons, creating shots for himself and his teammates. It was arguably the best version of Griffin, but injuries derailed that part of his career, which led to his demotion to role player.
It all culminated during Griffin’s last two campaigns with the Brooklyn Nets and Celtics. Although he accepted being a role player, it was the beginning of the end as he began to realize that he was past his prime and could no longer play in the NBA.
“I was playing in Boston. That was my last year. We were playing Cleveland at the time. Checking into the game with a few minutes left in the first quarter. Going up and down, guarding Evan Mobley. Jumper, going down, hooking, going back down, putback, going back down again. I was like (tired),” Griffin said of when he realized it was time to retire.
“I thought, ‘What’s wrong with this guy?'” That’s when I somehow found out. I remember thinking that at the free throw line. This kid is a freak, or it’s time to hang up, and that’s when I realized. ”
Griffin wondered if Mobley was a physical freak or had lost his ability to keep up in the moment. He was correct on both accounts, as Griffin was physically unable to compete with the best athletes and Mobley had long been an abnormal athlete.
Today, many know that Mobley is currently the Defensive Player of the Year. He is one of the most impressive big men in the league and is still developing. Mobley is one of the best defenders and has proven to be a reliable offensive player alongside Donovan Mitchell.
Mobley was a young player at the time, but he’s proven himself now. He will continue to make opponents question their athletic ability. Mobley has all the physical tools to be one of the league’s best big men and will continue to be an impact player for Cleveland.