Second-greatest player in the history of each NBA franchise
LA Clippers: Blake Griffin
Greatest Player: Chris Paul
It took Blake Griffin an extra year to make his NBA debut after missing his expected first season due to a fractured knee cap. Once on the court, however, he looked every bit the part of a No. 1 pick who could change the fortunes of an unlucky LA Clippers franchise.
He was the Rookie of the Year as one of only three first-years — along with Kareem Abdul-Jabar and Elgin Baylor — to average north of 22 points, 12 rebounds and three assists.
Once Chris Paul arrived the following season, Griffin got to put his skills to better use, aiding the Clippers in six straight playoff appearances and their constant pursuit of a championship.
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LA never advanced past the conference semis in the Lob City era. But when Griffin wasn’t tending to an injury, he was doing his part with playoff numbers of 21.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
He was the face of dunking for several years and helped dig the Clippers out of purgatory to nab some of the spotlight that was traditionally fully fixated on the purple and gold.
The peak of Griffin’s powers came in 2013-14 when CP3 missed 20 games. Griffin seized control of the offense, averaging what was then a career-high 24.1 points per game en route to a third-place MVP finish.
Paul might have been LA’s engine, but Griffin possessed the wheels that kickstarted the most prosperous era in the franchise’s long-suffering history of disappointment.