Newly signed Celtics forward Blake Griffin seems to be enjoying his stay in Boston, even before the season begins, calling new teammates normal.
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Though Blake Griffin may not be the high flyer he once was, there is no denying that he can still ball. The former ROTY has moved to a bench role post his stint with the Detroit Pistons. Nonetheless, the former Dunk Contest champion has impressed us with his new supporting role.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned during Griffin’s stint with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the Brooklyn Nets. The team made more noise off the court than its performances on the hardwood, with its polarizing superstars constantly embroiled in controversies.
Griffin, who recently signed a 1-year $2 million deal with the Celtics, seems to have already aligned himself with the roster. The veteran forward is all praise for his teammates, especially Jaylen Brown and Jaylen Tatum, who he believes embrace the championship expectations.
During a recent interview with Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports, Griffin admitted his excitement about being on board with the Cs, addressing how big of a draw were Brown and Tatum.
“These are normal guys, and that’s what you want in a team”: Blake Griffin on Celtics teammates post exit from Brooklyn.
Entering his 13th season, Griffin is ready to make his debut for the iconic Celtics franchise. The six-time All-Star did confess to the superstar duo of Brown and Tatum being a big reason behind his decision, saying the following.
“It was a huge part of it. Obviously, this organization from top to bottom is special in that they hold people to championship expectations. Some people can shy away from that. These guys have embraced it, they’re part of it. So that was a draw but also guys on the team being great guys, and since I got here, the guys that I didn’t really know that well, I’ve gotten to know really well. When you do it for 14 years, it’s easier to come into a situation and sort of feel comfortable. I guess the older you get, just the more comfortable you are with yourself.”
When asked if it was easy to get comfortable at this stage of his career, the 33-year-old had the following response.
“It depends on the guys on the team. And these guys are very, I mean this in the best way, are normal guys and that’s what you want in a team. You don’t want crazy egos, you don’t want this or that. Even our two superstars, even JB and JT, are just so easy to talk to. So a very, very refreshing experience.”
Nevertheless, Griffin time and again specified how he didn’t mean to throw any shade at his former teammates while citing the issue of egos.
Blake Griffin’s stint with the Brooklyn Nets didn’t go as expected.
During his two seasons in Brooklyn, Griffin averaged 7.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 2.0 APG, playing 18.5 MPG. In what many believed was the former Clippers star’s best chance of adding a championship ring to his resume. Sadly, controversies got the better of what was potentially termed as the greatest offensive team in American sports, with the likes of Durant, Irving, and Harden.
Whether it be injuries, Irving’s anti-vaccination controversy, or Harden wanting out, and not forget KD’s constant social media battles.
Nonetheless, Griffin still has a shot, given the Celtics were this year’s runner-up.
