Blake Griffin was born and raised in and around Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Griffin is a devout evangelical (or born-again) Christian who considers himself "saved" since age six.[1] He and his brother, Taylor, were home schooled until Blake was in eighth grade. His father, a pastor,[2] said:
[Home schooling] gave them a foundation. We've deviated [in America] from our past to where we are right now. Here's a nation founded on the opportunity for freedom of religion, and every time you look around, there's people saying God has to be taken out of this, out of this.[3]
After the home schooling came to a close, Griffin finished out the rest of high school at Oklahoma Christian School.[4] And when he went to college and made the basketball team, he quickly joined the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.[5]
After a successful college career, Griffin made the number 1 draft pick to the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers. During pre-season, however, he broke his kneecap and couldn't play his first NBA season. But God came to the rescue of Griffin's attitude. Blake said:
I was just excited about the opportunity to play in the NBA. I was ready to go, but everything came crashing down, so to speak. But these things happen. That was God's way of just humbling me.[6]
It clearly worked out, because at the publishing of this article, Griffin is one of the most celebrated young players in basketball.
B-ball and presidential politics
Blake seems largely non-political. It would be a fallacy to assume his devotion to Christianity would dictate a conservative political position, but it does happen from time to time.
One thing we do know about Griffin is that Obama is watching him. The president, a big fan of professional basketball, said of Griffin:
Blake Griffin is unbelievable… the only thing is you got to tell Blake to just take that 12-15-footer when he gets it because he's got a good stroke, but he always looks like he's hesitating a little bit because he wants to go inside. And if he starts getting that shot like Karl Malone, he'll be unstoppable.[7]
No response from Griffin that I could find… maybe he really is a conservative. Give us your thoughts in the comments.
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