Blake Griffin: 10 Reasons That the Los Angeles Clippers Rookie Is a Future MVP
The Blake Griffin train just keeps rolling along.ย
He's getting better and better each and every week and not a night goes by without SportsCenter running a Blake Griffin highlight. Sometimes there are even multiple highlights.ย
The Clippers rookie is one of the most exciting players to watch thanks to his ridiculous athleticism and high-flying dunks.ย
Even though he plays for the inept Los Angeles Clippers, he still will undoubtedly win the league's MVP award at some point in the near future.ย
It won't be this year, but he will be on the ballots time after time in the future.ย
The First Game
1 of 10We had to wait an entire year for his debut after he sat out the 2009-10 season with a broken kneecap, but Blake Griffin's first game was well worth the wait.ย
Even though the Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Portland Trailblazers 98-88, Griffin put on an absolute show.ย
His first points in the NBA came on an explosive one-handed dunk. I've conveniently included that video here for your viewing pleasure.ย
Then there was another putback slam that will be shown in highlight clips all season long.ย
People are going to remember Griffin's first game because it left an impression on everyone.ย
The fearlessness while in the national spotlight shows just how well he'll be able to handle the pressure the rigors of chasing the MVP award.ย
The Ridiculous Dunks
2 of 10Just watch that video and count the number of times that your jaw drops.ย
Was it 10? I bet so.ย
Part of being an MVP is putting on a show. It's not enough to be a great player, you have to be well-liked and fun to watch.ย
There is no doubt that Blake Griffin fills that criterion.ย
Athleticism
3 of 10Part of the reason for the ridiculous dunks is Blake Griffin's spectacular athleticism.ย
But that leaping ability and body control does more for the rookie than just let him throw down. It helps him make plays that almost no one else in the world can pull off.ย
How many other 6'10" big men can dribble the length of the court, spin around a defender, and then slam the ball through the rim?
Pretty much no one.ย
Blake Griffin simply has the ability to make plays unlike anyone else.ย
Superstardom
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Another key to winning the MVP is being a superstar.ย
At this early point in his career, Blake Griffin has already catapulted from hyped rookie to highly thought of superstar.ย
People look up how Blake Griffin plays on a daily basis. People check YouTube and ESPN for highlights of Blake Griffin, usually finding dunk after dunk.ย
Even though he plays for the lowly Clippers, Griffin is truly a star.ย
His Stats
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Statistics definitely don't tell the whole story, but they do help us determine who the best players in the league are.ย
Any way you look at it, Blake Griffin has some of the best stats in the NBA. He especially has the best stats of any rookie.ย
Through Jan. 14, Griffin was averaging 22 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.7 blocks.ย
He's already the fourth leading rebounder and the 13th leading scorer in the league.ย
The Improving Splits
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As impressive as those numbers are, the scary thing is that they're only improving steadily.ย
In October, Blake Griffin averaged 16.7 points, 11 rebounds and 2.3 assists.ย
Then in November, he scored 20.9 points, grabbed 11.7 boards and dished out 2.7 assists per game.ย
December was next and Griffin averaged 23 points, 13.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists.ย
So far in January, he's averaging 25.6 points, 14.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists.ย
We can only imagine what's next.ย
Only a Rookie
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Remember how scary it is that Blake Griffin's stats are steadily getting better as the months go on?
Well, it's even scarier that he's doing this as a rookie.ย
Not many players in the history of this sport have been able to put up numbers as impressive as Griffin's have been during their rookie seasons. And those that have done so have enjoyed stellar careers.ย
Virtually all comparable rookie seasons have been put together by players that are either retired and in the Hall of Fame or currently playing, but widely assumed to be first-ballot Hall of Famers as soon as they're eligible.ย
For a great look at how Griffin's rookie season compares to the historical greats, check out this article by Bleacher Report's own Kelly Scaletta: Blake Griffin and the 16 Best Rookie Seasons in the History of the NBA.ย
He's Winning Games with the Clippers
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The Los Angeles Clippers have been absolutely inept for as long as I can remember.
Just last season they only won 29 games. The year before that they won just 19.ย
However, this season, the Clippers are actually winning games at a faster pace and they're beating good teams.ย
Blake Griffin has led the team to 13 wins so far, including victories against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Hornets, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat.ย
Griffin has been a huge part of this turnaround. Without him, the Clippers would have won far less often.ย
In my mind, that's the definition of a valuable player.ย
The Clippers Have Potential
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Winning about 30 games isn't going to get Blake Griffin nearly enough votes to win the MVP award.ย
Fortunately for him and his fans, the rookie power forward/center is on a team that has a ton of potential.ย
Griffin is only going to get better and the same applies to Eric Gordon, Eric Bledsoe and Al-Farouq Aminu among others. We could be seeing an Oklahoma City Thunder-like rise to the top in the near future.ย
The Clippers also have a good bargaining piece in Baron Davis, one they could try to trade for some better young players.ย
It seems strange to say, but the Clippers can and will be contenders in just a few years.ย
Everyone Likes Him
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Finally, people legitimately want Blake Griffin to succeed.
He's given no indication that he's anything but a class act and his high-flying circus act on the court draws and holds people's attention.ย
Griffin has become somewhat of a man-crush for me and I'm sure I'm not alone there. As much as I talk about him, I have yet to meet a single person who has rooted against Griffin.ย
Instead, it's seemed to me that everyone wants him to keep getting better and posting double-double after double-double.ย
Hell, even Rihanna has expressed interest in the rookie.ย
While it doesn't make a huge difference on the court, the fact that Griffin is popular and well-liked is important to his overall success.ย
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