Blake Griffin: 10 Reasons Why He Is the Most Exciting NBA Player, Period

Move over LeBron James, there is an incredible player people are actually rooting for now.

I'm not sure if you've heard about this guy—he was, after all, the No. 1 pick a year and a half ago and had to sit out what would have been his rookie season.

In a year that my man Tyreke Evans won Rookie of the Year, I think it would be safe to say Evans had no shot at winning it if Blake Griffin played a minute. 

Anyone who has been equated to a combination of Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, sign me up. That sounds like the best two things to be compared to at power forward, ever.

On a nightly basis, he is giving out facials and making incredible plays while reinventing the game of basketball.

Did I mention he can dunk?

This cat can jam. And I mean jam like NBA Jam. Some of his dunks seem impossible.

Aside from dunking, he has great handles for someone his size. He has vision and can see a play developing like few other players I've watched.

The guy hit his head on the backboard when he still played at Oklahoma. He plays with a reckless abandon that I have never seen before in an athlete with his amount of talent. 

It may be safe to say that Blake Griffin is the basketball version of Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. Both are absolutely fearless and not afraid to put their bodies on the line.

I felt this slideshow might be a good way to highlight the phenomenon known as Blake Griffin, especially as he came off his 47-point performance against the Indiana Pacers.

He now currently holds the season high for points by an individual player in a game.

And to think, the best is only to come. The dude is going to be in the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend!

Now I present a somewhat-chronicle of Griffin dunks many people have been fortunate to see this season.

If you don't believe yet, prepare to be baptized in the infinite greatness of Blake Griffin's hellacious dunks and plays.

Preseason Game vs. New Orleans Hornets (10/23/2009)

This is just a little taste of what was in store for the world. I don't think too many knew that this was just the first of many incredible plays he would make on a regular basis. 

First NBA Game vs. Portland Trail Blazers (10/27/2010)

It would be fitting that Griffin's first points would come off a dunk. An alley-oop dunk nonetheless.

He also managed to finish with a double-double for the game.

This should have been a sign for only great things to come.

Just Another Highlight Reel (Posted 11/19/2010)

This video was made by the NBA just a little under a month into the season. How often does this happen?

There are some memorable plays in this montage featuring a little bit of everything, but what really makes it is the announcer's proclamation insisting on facials.

Strange? Yes. But awesome nonetheless.

Facials for New York (11/20/2010)

Back around mid-November, no one would have guessed something major was happening soon aside from Thanksgiving. But, yet again, Blake Griffin came through to make our lives a little less crappy.

In this game, Griffin had a symphony of well-orchestrated dunks, including one play that wasn't even an dunk but was too awesome to not be shown.

How many times has a player jumped, realized he is going to come up short of the rim, then decided to rifle the ball into the basket, make the shot, and also draw the foul? 

I can't think of any at the moment, actually. Oh, wait: Blake Griffin.

The best part is this play isn't even the best one, as he pulls out a barrage of other incredible dunks to the delight of the Clipper fans, who have been waiting for decades to have a reason to attend a game. 

The real question is how long does it take Donald Sterling to screw this up for his fan base?

Griffin's Top Plays of 2010

The best part of these plays is many of them will probably not make his top plays for the entire season.

The dunks he's had in the past week have been better than nearly all of these plays. 

Baron Davis No-Look Alley-Oop (1/3/2011)

This play is more a demonstration of Davis' incredible passing ability. But Griffin's extension on this play to even be able to get the ball is unreal.

It would only be days later the two would hook up for another alley-oop that must be seen to appreciated. These two were meant to play together.

Blake Griffin-Baron Davis Give-and-Go Oop (1/5/2011)

This is a dunk really too great to comprehend. Not only did Griffin pass the ball off on what most likely a sure bucket, but he calls for an alley-oop immediately after passing it and gets it. 

DeAndre Jordan's nasty swat was trumped by the play that followed. A block like that alone would end up on many highlight reels of a game. This just shows how great of a play it really is.

The dunk is a true work of art, and shows Griffin's flair for spectacular plays. Even if it is risky and most likely not the best play, Griffin is fearless and goes for it. 

The Greatest Play That Never Was (1/14/2011)

This video came up on blogging site Bay Area Bridge Banter. Avinash Kunnath pointed out that this could have been maybe the greatest alley-oop. Ever.

Had Monta Ellis just let it happen, what a sweet highlight this would have been.

This video is a prime example of something Bill Simmons said in a recent article where he wrote Blake Griffin has made Baron Davis care about basketball again. As he put it, he is Griffin's "dunk muse."

Knocking Off Kobe (1/16/2011)

ESPN is riding the Griffin train so hard they even managed conjure up an intro featuring a nasty clip from his game against the Knicks earlier this season. A highlight before the highlight!

Griffin and the Clips beat the Lakeshow for the first time this season. This game was just a few days after their win against the Miami Heat, who were at full strength until Mr. James rolled his ankle slashing to the lane with a few minutes left. 

47 Points on Martin Luther King Day (1/17/2011)

He went 19 for 24 from the field. Unreal. Griffin absolutely lit up the Pacers on MLK Day for the fortunate fans in attendance at Staples tonight.

To Be Continued...

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 20: Blake Griffin #32 of the Los Angeles Clippers goes up for a dunk during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on December 20, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. The Clippers defeated the Timberw

Blake Griffin is just a monster who will only continue to progress. There is still a half of a season to be played and with the Clippers' improvement, after going 1-13 to open up the season, they have now gone 14-12 since. 

Do I smell playoffs?

It is still a ways off, but the Clippers have a puncher's chance to make the playoffs, especially if the Nuggets dismantle their team by trading Carmelo Anthony out of Denver.

Either way, Griffin is the real deal and looks to be one of the best players of the decade. So long as he has most of his limbs, he will continue to kill opponents and do things that resemble the picture above.