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In the past, he was a shining and high-profile star. On the court, he transforms into a white beast like a raging beast, galloping across the country, attacking fiercely, and no one else is beating! He is undoubtedly one of the brightest and most spectacular superstars in NBA history.
His name is Blake Griffin's 2009 draft that stunned the world, and he rose from many outstanding players to become the top pick with undisputed strength.
However, with the passage of time and the invasion of injuries, the white beast that once soared in the sky gradually lost its former majesty. He was ruthlessly thrown into the trough of his life by fate, and the once highly respected talented basketball player was helplessly reduced to a battle of trapped beasts on the court.
"I know I'm coming to the end of my career, but I'm still looking forward to the perfect finish before I retire. Griffin, who is over thirty-four years old, sighed in a self-deprecating tone, with a hint of bitterness in his words.
It is true that for this veteran who has touched the championship trophy many times, retirement will undoubtedly bring unprecedented confusion and loss.
Time is like an arrow, and time is like a shuttle. In 2021, Griffin chose to join last season's Finals powerhouse, the Boston Celtics. This may be the last battle of his career.
However, even so, he could not show his heroic appearance on the pitch to the fullest, and could only wait quietly on the bench for a rare opportunity to play.
"Blake's arrival reminds me of the good old days when I played alongside Wade, and I have to remind myself that I'm not the number one star of the team anymore, he is!" Shaquille O'Neal, a legend of the 76ers, once said.
The slam dunk king and lore king back then, now Griffin is just an ordinary bench player, and people can't help but sigh that the world is impermanent.
On March 16, 1989, a future basketball superstar was born in Oklahoma City, Ohio, USA, and he was Blake Griffin. Although he was later nicknamed the "White Monster", he was actually a pure black player.
Griffin was born into a unique family, with a father who was an experienced basketball coach and a mother who was a high school teacher.
"At that time, my father was strict with us, training hard day after day, and my mother was strict with our diet. At the age of 30, Griffin recalls those passionate and challenging childhoods, his eyes shining with pride and satisfaction, and the smile on his lips revealing endless joy, "Despite the hardships of the process, our brothers and I have never had the slightest resistance or complaint, but are looking forward to more training opportunities."
We understand that our NBA dream can only become a reality if we become more resilient and stronger. It was in this way, nurtured and guided by their parents, that Griffin and his older brother, Tyler Griffin, quickly rose to become the 'King of the Wild Course' in their hometown community. They spent their childhood in their garage and in their mother's cozy cottage, receiving their father's rigorous and professional basketball training.
By the time Griffin entered high school, scouts from various teams flocked to try to unearth the two talented teenage talents and hopefully bring them under his roster.
However, Griffin's father politely declined all invitations, convinced that his children needed more time to grow and sharpen.
As it turned out, Griffin's father was right. In high school, Griffin showed unparalleled leadership qualities and prowess, leading the team to the state finals four years in a row and comfortably winning the All-State Player of the Year title in the final year with a landslide victory. The talented teenage hero averaged 22 points per game when he was in his senior year and led his team to victory again.
After graduating from high school, Griffin decided to join his hometown team, the University of Oklahoma, to write their basketball legend with his older brother Taylor. On the college court, Griffin continued to be impressive, finishing as a first-team player with a staggering 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds in his freshman season.
As time went by, Griffin in his sophomore season exploded even more, averaging 22.7 points per game and grabbing 14.4 rebounds at the same time.
When people saw this young teenager swinging freely on the court, heroic, leaping and dunking, everything was so natural and smooth. At that time, Griffin was like a young white monster, brave and unstoppable, and his steps were firmly towards his dream of the NBA.
After many hardships, in the summer of 2009, Griffin became a legend with his endless yearning for the NBA and his belief in Top Gun. At that time, the Los Angeles Clippers, in a series of wonderful operations carefully planned by the management, were lucky to win the precious champion pick, as if favored by the goddess of fate.
Such an otherwise unremarkable team, after witnessing the excellence of Griffin's college career, was immediately attracted to the promising new star.
So, during Griffin's tryout, the Clippers management was so impressed by his amazing skill of "dribbling three balls in one person" that they didn't hesitate to recruit the bright new star from Oklahoma.
"At that moment, my heart was filled with excitement, as if a dream was close at hand. Griffin vividly described his inner feelings, with a twinkle of confidence in his eyes, "I vow to bring eternal glory to the Clippers and use my strength to make this team show the king that it deserves." ”
Griffin walked his talk, and in his rookie season, he won over everyone with a stellar performance. He averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, making him easily win the Rookie of the Year award.
What's even more exciting is that under Griffin's leadership, the Clippers' record has improved by leaps and bounds, with a proud record of 32 wins in one fell swoop, and the future is full of hope.
In the following seasons, with the addition of Chris Paul, Griffin fought alongside him to create a jaw-dropping "City of Relay in the Air". The two are in perfect harmony on the court, Griffin is like a cannonball constantly bombarding the opponent's basket, and Paul is the wise man who controls the whole situation.
"At that time, the Clipper was like a luxury cruise ship about to depart, and I was confident that I would be able to ride it and ride the waves to reach the championship of my dreams. Griffin's tone was firm, his eyes were like torches, it was a persistent pursuit of dreams and a fervent desire for victory.
In this way, they have overcome obstacles all the way, pushing the Clippers from the obscurity of the past to the ranks of regulars in the playoffs, and the glorious dawn seems to have illuminated the future.
Since those heavy days, Griffin has become a basketball monster like a white tiger, his offensive ability on the court has left opponents in the dust, and every score will ignite the cheers of the audience.
His name is like a powerful computer virus that has swept through and occupied the main prominent positions in all kinds of sports media.
However, the hand of fate began to exert unspeakable banter on the "white monster" just when people thought he would climb to the top of basketball. In the 2014-2015 season, the Clippers once won an overwhelming 3-1 victory in the fierce competition with the Houston Rockets.
However, at this moment, the ruthlessness of fate began to show its power, and the Rockets won three games in a row and staged a thrilling counterattack.
However, fate always seems to have a penchant for playing tricks, and just as Griffin was about to lead the Clippers to glory, he suffered a major blow in his life - a heart-wrenching knee injury that forced the "white beast" to leave the game for a while.
"At that moment, I really felt like the world was falling apart, and as the leader of the team, I should have held up a piece of the sky for everyone in my own strength. But now, I have even lost the qualification to stand on the court, and the whole person has fallen into unprecedented confusion and helplessness. Griffin recalls those dark times, a deep melancholy on his face.
In this way, a series of injuries poured in like a tide, making this once flying white monster have to bow to the cruel reality and temporarily return to a dull life.
Injuries are like a swirling dark cloud, relentlessly obscuring Griffin's once-dazzling light.
In April 2016, Griffin missed the entire regular season with a torn quadriceps muscle, but he decided to play with an injury, a mistaken decision that laid the groundwork for his future career.
As expected, in the first round of the playoffs the following year, Paul suffered a serious injury with a broken palm, and the entire season was declared reimbursable.
Over the years, injuries and back-to-back first-round playoff games have worn out the patience of Clippers management. Soon after, Paul was traded to the Rockets, and Griffin signed a five-year, $173 million super contract with the Clippers.
Looking back at the 2014-2015 season, Griffin, who could not shake off the shadow of injury, had to start adjusting his game strategy, reducing the number of dunks and focusing on outside shooting in the hope of adapting to the needs of the small-ball era.
Although it was extremely difficult to turn the tables in a short period of time, Griffin found a new path for himself!
Heading into the 2017-2018 season, the former flyer is showing signs of recovery, whether it's accurate three-point shooting, masterful ball handling skills, or excellent team command, all of which have put him back at the top of the league.
The first month of 2018 was quietly passing as Griffin waved goodbye to his beloved parent team, the Los Angeles Clippers, and was forced to embark on a trip to Detroit.
Since then, the city, once famous for its "air relay", has also been on the road to disintegration.
However, after joining the Detroit Pistons, the "white monster" who was gradually entering the twilight of his career began his transformation journey, transforming from a traditional scorer to an all-round playmaker, and even showed the passing vision and skill of a guard.
It wasn't until the 2018-2019 season that Griffin finally regained his peak brilliance, averaging 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, leading the Pistons to the playoffs.