SAN ANTONIO — After 14 seasons in the NBA, former NBA All-Star Blake Griffin announced his retirement.
“I never envisioned myself as the guy who would have a ‘letter to basketball’ retirement announcement … and I’m still not going to be that guy," he wrote on social media April 16. "But as I reflected on my career, the one feeling I kept coming back to and the one thing I wanted to express was thankfulness."
He exited the game with several accolades, including 2009 NBA Rookie of the Year honors, a Slam Dunk Contest championship, and six All-Star games.
He spent most of his NBA career with the Clippers as a part of the "Lob City" era before later joining the Pistons, Nets and Celtics.
But he admits he always wanted to join the San Antonio Spurs.
In an interview with "The Forward with Lance Armstrong," Griffin was asked if there was a team he wanted to join during his NBA career. His answer came quickly.
"I always wanted to play for Popovich," he said. "I don't know if everybody is built to play for Popovich because it's his way."
"That's why Tim Duncan bought into it. When your best player buys into it that culture for however many years that Tim Duncan was there, and even before that they had David Robinson. They had a great team that won."
Griffin admits he looked at how Duncan and Robinson helped jump-start the Spurs dynasty era. He even spoke about stories from former Spurs players who saw Popovich berate Duncan in film sessions even at the height of his career.
Griffin was impressed by Duncan's response to Popovich's harsh treatment: by listening, implementing directions, and simply winning multiple championships.
"I just like that. My dad was sort of that way. My dad is a high school basketball coach and he was just no-nonsense," Griffin said. "Pop was one that I really would have loved to play for. It just didn't work out in San Antonio."
One wonders if Griffin would have worked out with the Spurs.
With Duncan and Griffin playing the same position (forward), would there have been room for both to be on the roster? Would Griffin take a backup role or use him the way the Spurs used Duncan and Robinson as a "Twin Towers" approach after Robinson retired? Also, how much would salary would Griffin agree to be a Spur?
The 2018-19 season may have been the best timeline for Griffin to join the Spurs. The team was coming off the Duncan era and he would have been a great "bridge" player before the franchise found their cornerstone player.
Griffin posted career averages of 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game while shooting 49.3% from the field.
What do you think, Spurs fans? Would you have wanted to see Griffin as a Spur? Let us know what you think on X at @KENS5 and @JeffGSpursZone.