Blake Griffin: Clippers Haven't Honored 'Lob City' Era

Former Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin has stated that the organization has not made any efforts to honor the teams from the “Lob City” era, a period of significant success for the franchise in the 2010s. Griffin, who was a prominent figure during this time, told Front Office Sports that the Clippers have never reached out to him or his former teammates for any recognition.

"I don’t think we’ve ever been asked to come back or do anything or honor that team,” Griffin said. He added that the lack of acknowledgment is surprising, especially given the “Lob City” teams' achievements.

During the “Lob City” era, which included Griffin and Chris Paul, the Clippers achieved consistent playoff appearances, making it to the postseason for six consecutive years. They advanced past the first round three times, in 2012, 2014, and 2015. Griffin reflected on the pride he and his teammates felt in transforming the franchise’s image from a perennial underdog to a team expected to compete.

"You look back and have a sense of pride because of what the Clippers were before, and it was often a punchline,” Griffin explained. “I think that we feel pride in that we sort of got that franchise to a place where it was like, ‘Oh no, you’re expected to make the playoffs. You’re expected to go further.”

Griffin played for the Clippers from 2009 to 2018. During the 2010-2011 season, he was named the NBA's Dunk Contest champion and also won the Rookie of the Year award, averaging 22.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. He was the first Clippers player since the team moved to Los Angeles to receive the honor.

Griffin also commented on the Clippers' controversial decision to release Chris Paul during his final NBA season, expressing confusion and disappointment about the situation. "I was just kind of confused where the disconnect was like,” Griffin said. “This is who he’s been his whole career. He’s like a leader. He’s a talker. So why not use that to your advantage?” He concluded, “I wasn’t there, obviously so I don’t know everything that went on, but you know, to see it end like that, it’s definitely disappointing.”