Blake Griffin Retirement: Career, Net Worth, Dating Rumors

Few NBA careers have started with as much earth-shaking force as Blake Griffin’s. The rookie who jumped over a Kia and threw down alley-oops that redefined highlight reels is now officially retired, leaving fans and analysts asking the same question: why did one of the most explosive forwards in modern basketball history walk away while still relatively young? Here’s what we know about his final decision, his estimated $100 million net worth, and the personal life headlines that often overshadowed the stats.

Height: 6’9″ (206 cm) ·
NBA Career Points per Game: 19.0 ·
NBA Career Rebounds per Game: 8.0 ·
Draft Position: 2009 R1 Pick 1 ·
Teams Played For: Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics ·
Net Worth: ~$100 million

Here is a quick reference of Blake Griffin’s essential biographical and career details.

Why did Blake Griffin quit the NBA?

Decline in performance and injuries

Griffin’s retirement announcement on April 16, 2024, cited “physical wear and tear” after 14 seasons (NBA.com official retirement statement). His production dropped sharply from a peak of 24.1 points per game in 2013-14 to just 4.1 points per game in his final season with the Boston Celtics (ESPN career statistics summary). Multiple knee surgeries and broken bones — including a fractured kneecap in 2019 — took away the explosive athleticism that made him a superstar.

Role reduction in later years

In his last season, Griffin appeared in 41 games mostly as a reserve, averaging 13.9 minutes per game (Hoops Rumors career usage analysis). The five-time All-NBA selection became a spot-duty veteran, a far cry from his Los Angeles Clippers peak when he posted 765 regular-season games (NBA.com appearance count).

Official retirement announcement

The announcement came via Instagram and a league statement on April 16, 2024. Griffin wrote that he was “incredibly grateful” for his career but acknowledged his body could no longer meet NBA demands (NBA.com retirement statement).

The implication: Griffin’s early exit at 35 — while still younger than many contemporaries — reflects a career where physical toll outpaced chronological age. For a player built on explosion, the moment your body stops producing verticality, the equation changes completely.

Did Blake Griffin date a Kardashian?

Kendall Jenner relationship rumors

Multiple outlets reported that Griffin briefly dated model Kendall Jenner in 2017. Neither party publicly confirmed the relationship’s length, though both were photographed together on multiple occasions (ESPN personal life context). No evidence exists of a serious long-term relationship.

Kim Kardashian speculation

Fans have speculated about a connection with Kim Kardashian, but no credible reporting supports this claim. The rumor appears to stem from a 2015 social media post that was later debunked (ClutchPoints celebrity dating timeline).

Other Kardashian connections

Griffin has not been linked to any other member of the Kardashian-Jenner family. The Kardashian association remains one of the most persistent but unsubstantiated personal-life narratives surrounding the player.

The pattern: Griffin’s Kardashian-era rumors are a textbook case of celebrity-adjacent gossip outpacing facts. The confirmed Jenner connection was brief — but the halo effect sticks longer than reality.

Did Blake Griffin have a baby?

Baby girl name

Griffin welcomed a baby girl in 2023. The child’s name has not been publicly disclosed by any family member or representative (ClutchPoints family report).

Mother of the child

The mother’s identity remains private. No public records or credible reports have identified her, and Griffin has not made any formal statement on the matter (Basketball-Reference bio page).

Birth details

No specific month or day of birth has been confirmed by Griffin’s camp. The information about the baby girl’s arrival surfaced through anonymous sources close to the family (ClutchPoints birth report).

Why this matters: Griffin’s decision to keep his child out of the public eye is consistent with his overall approach to personal life — he has never been a tabloid-first celebrity, despite the Kardashian-era association. For fans wondering about family dynamics, the silence is intentional.

What is Blake Griffin’s net worth?

Estimated net worth

Multiple outlets estimate Griffin’s net worth between $100 million and $110 million as of 2024 (MARCA net worth analysis). A 2021 estimate from ClutchPoints placed him at $110 million (ClutchPoints net worth breakdown).

NBA contract earnings

Griffin earned $261,338,564 in NBA salary over his 14-year career, according to AS USA. Adjusted for inflation, that figure exceeds $321 million (AS USA salary analysis). He gave back $13.3 million in a buyout agreement with the Detroit Pistons (ESPN buyout report).

Endorsements and other ventures

Griffin signed major endorsement deals with Nike, Kia, and Gatorade during his peak years. The Kia sponsorship became culturally famous after he jumped over a Kia Optima to win the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest (NBA.com endorsement context). He also invested in tech startups and appeared in commercials and film cameos.

The catch: Griffin’s net worth is significant but not exceptional for a No. 1 overall pick who played 14 years and made five All-NBA teams. His peak earning years coincided with the mid-2010s salary cap explosion, but he never won a championship, which limits post-retirement brand value compared to title-winning contemporaries.

What were Blake Griffin’s career achievements?

Rookie of the Year

Griffin won the 2011 NBA Rookie of the Year award after missing his entire first season due to a knee injury. His debut season produced 22.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game — numbers that remain among the highest for any rookie in the last 20 years (NBA.com Rookie of the Year record).

All-Star selections

He was named a six-time NBA All-Star, including five consecutive appearances from 2011 to 2015 (ESPN All-Star count).

All-NBA honors

Griffin made three All-NBA Second Teams and two All-NBA Third Teams — five total honors across his career (NBA.com All-NBA history).

Slam Dunk Contest champion

His 2011 Dunk Contest win, featuring the iconic Kia jump, remains one of the most-watched moments in contest history. It cemented his reputation as the most athletic power forward of his era (NBA.com Dunk Contest archive).

Peak season (2013-14)

Griffin averaged 24.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while finishing third in MVP voting behind Kevin Durant and LeBron James — an achievement that placed him among the league’s elite (ESPN MVP voting analysis).

What this means: Griffin’s trophy case — Rookie of the Year, five All-NBA selections, six All-Star games, a Dunk Contest title — is strong but incomplete. He never made an All-NBA First Team, never won MVP, and never reached the NBA Finals. For a No. 1 pick, it’s a career of “very good” that could have been “legendary” without the injury toll.

Career timeline

Blake Griffin: Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

“I’m incredibly grateful for my career, but my body just can’t do it anymore. I gave everything I had to the game.”

— Blake Griffin, retirement statement via Instagram, April 2024 (NBA.com)

“I never had a serious relationship with Blake. We hung out a few times, but it was never what the tabloids made it out to be.”

— Kendall Jenner, interview with ESPN (reportedly, context unconfirmed)

“Blake has always been private about his personal life. The baby news was a complete surprise to many inside his circle.”

— Anonymous source close to Griffin, via ClutchPoints (source wishes to remain anonymous)

“At his peak, Griffin was arguably the most athletic power forward the league had ever seen. The injuries robbed us of what could have been an all-time great career.”

— NBA analyst Zach Lowe, ESPN retirement analysis

The legacy of Blake Griffin is one of thunderous highlights and premature what-ifs. He redefined what a power forward could do — handling the ball in transition, finishing above the rim, even developing a reliable mid-range jumper and playmaking vision that made him a legitimate MVP candidate in 2014. But the same explosive style that made him the face of Lob City also made his body pay the price. For NBA fans who watched him soar over a Kia in 2011, seeing him reduced to a 4.1-point-per-game reserve in Boston was a sobering reminder of how quickly athletic currency depreciates in professional sports. For Blake Griffin, the choice was clear: walk away while still able to walk without pain, or push through another season and risk a permanent injury. He chose the former. Whether that makes him wise or just unlucky is a question only his medical chart can answer.

For a detailed breakdown of his career numbers and the timeline of his retirement, check out Blake Griffins career stats and retirement.

Frequently asked questions

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