Blake Griffin Biography Facts, Childhood & Personal Life

Blake Griffin Biography Facts, Childhood & Personal Life
Blake Griffin's biography, career accomplishments and life. Wikimedia.

Blake Griffin, popularly known by his nickname “High Griffinition” is an American professional basketball player.

He now plays in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons.

In any conversation with regards to the notable players of the NBA, Blake Griffin is always mentioned.

The 6-times NBA All-Star is indeed one of NBA’s top players—a testament to the incredible skills and powerful dunks he wields.

This article on Blake Griffin’s biography facts, childhood, and personal life presents a notable account from his early life to date.

Other highlights include his NBA/Basketball career, achievements and awards, famous quotes, plus other on-screen and off-screen facts about his life.

Blake Griffin Biography Facts & Profile

Full Name:Blake Austin Griffin
Nickname:High Griffinition
Born:March 16 1989 (age 35 years)
Place of Birth:Oklahoma City, Oklahoma United States of America
Nationality:American
Height:6 feet, 10 inches
Shoe Size:17
Weight:251 lbs (114 kg)
Education:Oklahoma Christian School, University of Oklahoma
Parents:Tommy Griffin (Father), Gail Griffin (Mother)
Children:Finley Elaine Griffin (Daughter), Ford Wilson Cameron-Griffin (Son)
Occupation:Basketball Player
Current Team:Detroit Pistons
Playing Career:2009–present
Zodiac Sign:Pisces

Blake Griffin Childhood & Early Life

Blake Griffin childhood photo with his mother
Blake Griffin childhood photo as a toddler with his mother. Blake Griffin/Instagram

Blake Austin Griffin was born on March 16, 1989, in Oklahoma City to Tommy Griffin (father) and Gail Griffin (mother).

Little Griffin played basketball in the gym owned by his father.

He played baseball as a first baseman and football as a wide receiver, safety, and tight end before giving up everything else and venturing into basketball.

Griffin played basketball in Oklahoma Christian School under his father in 2003.

He played along with his brother, Taylor, and won two state basketball championships.

In the summer of 2005, Blake was a member of the Athletics’ first AAU team.

After winning a third consecutive championship, Blake was named The Oklahoman Player of the Year and to the Tulsa World Boys All-State First Team.

By the end of his senior year, Blake was named Player of the Year by both the Tulsa World and The Oklahoman.

He was also named to the Oklahoma Boys All-State First team, EA Sports All-American Second Team, and Parade All-American Third Team.

Blake was selected to the McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand All-American teams.

He was rated the nation’s 13th best high school senior by HoopScoop, 20th by scout.com, and 23rd by Rivals.com.

Blake Griffin Basketball Career

College Career

Griffin was one of Oklahoma’s highest-rated and most decorated recruits.

In his freshman year, he was a first-team all-district pick by the USBWA and NABC.

He was also named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and the first-team All-Big selection by league coaches and Associated Press.

Griffin was expected to be a lottery pick in the 2008 NBA draft but return to college to give himself time to mature and help Oklahoma win the NCAA championship.

He had a successful run in his sophomore year, which helped him claim all six of the year’s national player awards.

NBA Career

Los Angeles Clippers (2009–2018)

Griffin gave up his final two years of college eligibility and declared for the NBA draft after his sophomore year.

He announced the move on April 7, 2009.

His decision was aired nationally on ESPNews.

The LA Clippers selected Griffin as the first overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft.

He played in the Los Angeles Clippers Summer League, where he was named MVP.

However, he sustained an injury in his kneecap in the Clippers’ final preseason game.

The injury delayed his NBA début for seven weeks.

It was discovered that his knee was not properly recovered after developing a stress fracture.

He had surgery on his kneecap in January 2010, which ruled him out of the 2009–2010 season.

Blake Griffin LA Clippers
Blake Griffin with the LA Clippers in 2011. Wikimedia.

Griffin was still considered a rookie in the 2010–2011 season after missing the entire 2009-2010 season.

He made his NBA début in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Griffin was voted to the 2011 NBA All-Star Game by coaches as a reserve on the Western Conference team.

He also played in the 2011 Rookie Challenge and then won the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest during the All-Star break.

Griffin also won all six of the Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors, becoming the first rookie to claim an entire season Rookie of the Month award since Chris Paul in the 2005–2006 season.

By the end of the season, Blake led the rookies in points, rebounds, and double-doubles, which helped him claim the Rookie of the Year award, becoming the first to unanimous claim it since David Robinson in 1990.

He was also the only unanimous selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

After his successful rookie season, Sports Illustrated ranked him among its “NBA’s 15 Greatest Rookies of All Time”.

In the 2011–2012 season, he was voted as a starter in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, and as a participant in the inaugural Rising Stars Challenge.

He along with Chris Paul helped the Clippers to the Playoffs, where they were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round.

Griffin earned his All-NBA Second Team for the first time.

On July 10, 2012, he agreed to a 5-year contract extension worth $95 million with the Clippers.

He also was selected to the Team USA set to compete in the 2012 London Olympics but was replaced after sustaining an injury during training.

Griffin was voted as a starter to the 2013 NBA All-Star Game by fans.

Blake Griffin with Clippers
Blake Griffin with the LA Clippers in 2013. Wikimedia.

At the end of the 2012–2013 season, he was named to the All-NBA Second Team.

In the 2013–2014 season under new leadership, Griffin was voted as a starter in the NBA All-Star Game, and marking his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance and his third straight start.

The LA Clippers advanced to the playoffs beating Golden State Warriors before losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semi-finals.

He was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the third consecutive year.

Griffin finished third in the MVP voting in that season.

In the 2015–2016 season, Griffin was ruled out indefinitely with a partially torn left quadriceps, precisely on December 26.

He was set to return to action in January 2017 but was ruled out again for about six weeks due to a right-hand injury he suffered from hitting a member of the Clippers equipment staff.

Griffin was absent from 45 games as a result of injuries and suspensions. 

On February 7, Griffin had surgery, which sidelined him for 20 games.

He was ruled out for the rest of the 2017 NBA playoff due to an injury on his toe.

Griffin resigned a five-year, $173 million contract with the Clippers in July 2017.

He was ruled out for two months after suffering a sprain against the LA Lakers but was returned earlier than expected on December 29.

Detroit Pistons (2018–Present)

Griffin was traded to the Detroit Pistons on January 29, 2018.

He debuted for the Piston three games later against the Memphis Grizzlies, registering 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 104–102 win.

Griffin was the first player with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in a debut game since Grant Hill in 1994.

On March 26, he injured his right ankle in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, which made him miss the season’s final eight games.

In October 2018, Griffin led his team to a 133–132 win against Philadelphia 76ers.

He scored a career-high 50 points and became the first Pistons player to record 50 points in a single game since Richard Hamilton’s 51 points as of 2006.

Griffin also became the first NBA player to record 50 points in the 2018–2019 season.

In January 2019, Griffin recorded 44 points in a 109–104 win against the Los Angeles Clippers, his former team.

Griffin missed four out of the final six regular season games and first two playoff games because of his ailing left knee, and needed a left knee surgery.

For the 2019–20 season, Griffin played just 18 games with the Pistons, having missed the first ten games, and underwent a second surgery on his left knee.

He missed the remainder of the 2019-20 season due to injury.

Blake Griffin Personal life

Griffin aside being a basketball player is an actor.

He made his acting début in 2018 in the Whitney Cummings comedy, The Female Brain.

Griffin has two children, Ford Wilson Cameron-Griffin, his son and daughter Finley Elaine Griffin, with his longtime girlfriend, Brynn Cameron.

Griffin split from his girlfriend in July of 2017 and moved out of their home in Los Angeles.

Griffin is reportedly dated model Kendall Jenner as of October 2017.

Griffin signed with Panini America to an exclusive long-term deal that will feature his autograph and memorabilia in their products.

He is a Christian.

Griffin started his campaign “Dunk for Dollars.”

He donates $100 to the fight against childhood obesity for every dunk he makes during the season.

Blake Griffin Career Highlights, Achievements & Awards

  • 6-times NBA All-Star (2011–2015, 2019)
  • 3-times All-NBA Second Team (2012–2014)
  • 2-times All-NBA Third Team (2015, 2019)
  • NBA Rookie of the Year (2011)
  • NBA All-Rookie First Team (2011)
  • NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2011)
  • Consensus national college player of the year (2009)
  • Consensus first-team All-American (2009)
  • NCAA rebounding leader (2009)
  • Big 12 Player of the Year (2009)
  • No. 23 honored by Oklahoma Sooners
  • Third-team Parade All-American (2007)
  • McDonald’s All-American (2007)

Blake Griffin Famous Quotes

“Sometimes you just have to calm down a little bit and let the system work itself out.”

— Blake Griffin

“We can’t have the mindset of becoming complacent with losing.”

— Blake Griffin

“Basketball is basketball, but with each level, there’s new challenges and new things you have to pick up.”

— Blake Griffin

See More:

Biography facts, childhood and personal life of famous basketball players


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