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April 16 (UPI) -- Six-time All-Star Blake Griffin, who was picked No. 1 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, will retire after 14 years, he announced Tuesday on social media. Griffin, 35, spent nine years with the Los Angeles Clippers. His career got off to a tepid start, as he missed his first season because of a knee injury. He went on to win 2010-11 Rookie of the Year honors and scored the second-most points in Clippers history, trailing only Randy Smith (12,735).
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"I'm thankful for every single moment -- not just the good ones: the wins, the awards, the dunks, and the memorable times spent with family, friends, fans, teammates and coaches," Griffin wrote on Instagram, X and Facebook.
Griffin's Clippers tenure ended with a 2018 trade to the Detroit Pistons. He went to join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the Brooklyn Nets roster in 2021.
The five-time All-NBA selection spent last season with the Boston Celtics. He averaged a career-low 4.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game during the 2022-23 campaign. He went unsigned this season.
Griffin averaged 19 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists over his 765 career appearances.
The Clippers won at least 50 games in five-consecutive seasons with Griffin as a key player on their roster from 2012-13 through 2016-17, but never advanced to the Western Conference finals.
"I'm equally thankful for the not-so good moments: the losses, the injuries, the way too many surgeries, the lessons, the heartbreaks, and it wouldn't be a sports retirement letter without acknowledging the 'haters.' All of these experiences made my 14 years in the league truly unforgettable, and I can't help but just feel thankful."
Griffin made more than $260 million in on-court salary during his NBA career.
