LOS ANGELES (AP) -Blake Griffin is heading to the Los Angeles Clippers, having been taken as the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
Commissioner David Stern announced Griffin’s name from the stage at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Across the country, Clippers officials gathered at the team’s practice facility heartily applauded the franchise’s only pick in this year’s draft.
“We feel like Blake definitely is a sure thing,” general manager and coach Mike Dunleavy said.
Griffin was the consensus college player of the year after leading the nation with 14.4 rebounds per game while averaging 22.7 points for Oklahoma. The Clippers said they would take the 6-foot-10, 251-pound forward with the top pick just hours after they won the draft lottery last month.
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“The fact is we’re getting an incredible player, incredible person, an impeccable work ethic and a guy that we plan on having in L.A. for many years to come,” Dunleavy said. “He’s going to be a great, exciting fit for our ballclub.”
Wearing a black suit and tie and a purple shirt, Griffin smiled and shook hands with Stern after hugging his parents in the New York audience. He’s expected to join the Clippers in Los Angeles on Monday.
Griffin comes to a team that has had two winning seasons in the last 30 years – they were 19-63 last season – and just one playoff appearance since 1997. The Clippers also had the No. 1 pick in 1988, when they took Danny Manning, and in 1998, when they took center Michael Olowokandi, who proved to be a bust.
The Clippers’ starting lineup last season was Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby.
Dunleavy said he anticipates Griffin playing most of his minutes at power forward, although he could log time at center.
“He has the versatility to eventually play 3, 4, 5 at times,” the coach said.
The Clippers’ had just the No. 1 pick in the draft, although Dunleavy said the team was looking at acquiring another selection.
“We’re patient,” he said. “If something comes up that would be a good opportunity, we’ll look to take it.”
Griffin has accepted an invitation to participate in the USA Basketball national team minicamp in Las Vegas from July 22-25. The minicamp will be used to identify prospects for openings on the U.S. teams in the 2010 world championships and 2012 London Olympics.
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