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Los Angeles Clippers: Top 10 NBA Draft picks of all time

By Maxwell Ogden

BUFFALO, NY - 1975: Bob MaAdoo #11 of the Buffalo Braves receives the 1975 NBA's Most Valuable Player Award also known as the Podoloff Award during a game played in 1975 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. Copyright 1975 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - 1975: Bob MaAdoo #11 of the Buffalo Braves receives the 1975 NBA's Most Valuable Player Award also known as the Podoloff Award during a game played in 1975 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. Copyright 1975 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 1: Blake Griffin #32 of the Los Angeles Clippers follows through after scoring a three-point basket for his 10,000th career point against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Staples Center April 1, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 1: Blake Griffin #32 of the Los Angeles Clippers follows through after scoring a three-point basket for his 10,000th career point against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Staples Center April 1, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

1. Blake Griffin

Drafted: Round 1, Pick 1 (2009)
Tenure: 2010-Present
Position: Power Forward
Career Slash Line: .518/.299/.673
Career Averages: 35.2 MPG, 21.5 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.0 SPG
Accolades: 3x All-NBA Second Team, All-NBA Third Team, 5x All-Star, 2010 Rookie of the Year

Easily the best draft pick in recent Los Angeles Clippers history was power forward Blake Griffin. Injuries have become an issue in recent seasons, but when Griffin has been on the court, he’s been nothing short of sensational.

Without Griffin achieving stardom during his rookie season, it’s fair to question if Chris Paul would have pushed to join the Clippers.

In the 39 seasons before Griffin was drafted in 2009, the Clippers made the playoffs a grand total of seven times. In the eight years since Griffin was drafted, Los Angeles has been to the postseason on six different occasions.

The Clippers also recorded their first—and second, third, fourth, and fifth—ever 50-win season with Griffin as the No. 2 star on the team.

Furthermore, Los Angeles won just two postseason series prior to 2009. It’s won three playoff series with Griffin, including the 2015 run to the Western Conference Semifinals, during which he averaged 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.0 block, and 1.0 steal per game.

Bob McAdoo and Chris Paul are the greatest players in franchise history, but it was the selection of Griffin that served as the catalyst to the resurrection of the Clippers.

Must Read: Who is on the Los Angeles Clippers' Mount Rushmore?

There haven’t been many blockbuster selections by the Los Angeles Clippers, but these select few will live on as the best in franchise history.

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