Blake Griffin Alley-Oop Video: Watch the Clipper Climb the Ladder
If you saw Blake Griffin play in college, this is not shocking.
The incredible video of this alley-oop dunk gives just one reason why the Los Angeles Clippers chose him with the No.1 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-10 forward from Oklahoma missed all of last season after undergoing knee surgery to fix a non-displaced stress fracture in his left patella. Judging by this video, Griffin's healed up just fine.
And right now he should be a favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year, averaging 20.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He's also garnered praise from one of the all-time greats.
"Blake Griffin is the truth," Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal said, when asked about the young big men in the league. "All these other guys, I’m not impressed."
What makes Griffin so impressive is that he isn't just a one-dimensional player who stays under the rim and gets points off rebounds. In college, he developed into a complete player who could dominate games with his scoring and on the glass, finishing with a career average of 18.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.01 blocks. If you want records, Griffin set them. Among them were an Oklahoma school record for NCAA Tournament field goal percentage (.778), as well as Oklahoma and Big 12 single-season records for rebounds (504).
When he was drafted, you knew he could come right in and hang. He wasn't going to be one of those high schoolers who were "projects" or college players who would be role players. Unfortunately, the injury delayed his debut, but Griffin told NBA.com it became a blessing.
"I learned a lot," he said. "I got to study the game, of course, for a year and kind of go through some of the things -- how they did practice every day, things like that. I went through training camp and went on the road some, played in preseason games, so it gave me a little understanding for what to expect this year."
Now he's throwing down crazy dunks like these and appearing on Sportscenter on a routine basis. If you're a Clippers fan, this is the centerpiece for your future. Griffin will only get better, and hopefully he'll get additional help in the coming years.
So sit back and enjoy. Yes, his armpit was at the rim. But don't be shocked. This is just Griffin showing what he can do.
