Blake Griffin confirms retirement from basketball

LOS ANGELES – Former No.1 draft pick Blake Griffin confirmed his retirement from basketball on Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time), just under a year after playing his last game in the NBA.

Griffin, 35, made his announcement in a lighthearted statement on social media in which he expressed gratitude to all those who had contributed to his career.

"I never envisioned myself as the guy who would have a 'letter to basketball' retirement announcement and I'm still not going to be that guy," Griffin wrote.

"But as I reflected on my career, the one feeling I kept coming back to and the one thing I wanted to express was thankfulness.

"The game of basketball has given me so much in this life, and I wouldn't change a thing.

"Last but certainly not least, here comes the obligatory 'I'm excited for my next chapter' part: just kidding, I'm done."

Griffin's last game in the NBA came in the 2022-2023 playoffs last April for the Boston Celtics in a defeat to the Atlanta Hawks.

Griffin spent the bulk of his career with the Los Angeles Clippers, playing eight seasons for the club after being chosen with the top pick in the 2009 draft.

A six-time NBA All-Star, his career also took in stints with Detroit and Brooklyn before ending with Boston in 2022-2023.

In 765 games he averaged 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists.