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Hoops to Hollywood
How Blake Griffin Threw Himself an Alley-Oop off the Hardwood
Ryan Cox
July 06, 2024
The lob… The Jam!!
Blake Griffin, 1/3 of the Los Angeles Lob City trio, was known for his gravity-defying dunks on the court, but many people aren’t aware just how savvy he is off the court.
We’ve all seen Blake in the red jumpsuit on TV for Kia, but his journey through the NBA is one of the most intentional we’ve seen to set himself up for life after basketball.
Image Source: Keith Allison
Table of Contents
Who is Blake Griffin?
Born in March 1989 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Blake Griffin dabbled in both football and baseball as a kid.
But it was always clear basketball was his true calling.
His father, Tommy Griffin, a former collegiate basketball player at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, taught him and his older brother, Taylor, the fundamentals of the game while their mother, Gail, homeschooled them from first grade until high school.
Taylor attended the University of Oklahoma on a basketball scholarship and eagerly told head coach Jeff Capel about his younger brother's talent.
Capel successfully recruited Blake, who joined the Sooners on a scholarship three years later.
Blake played two seasons in Oklahoma. Despite a few injuries, he left college for the NBA draft with an impressive resume, including All-Rookie, All-American, and College Player of the Year honors.
The Los Angeles Clippers drafted him first overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, but a stress fracture in his knee during the final preseason game sidelined him for his entire first season.
He made his debut the following season in which he made the All-Star game, won the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest, and earned Rookie of the Year honors with averages of 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
Blake was a key member in the "Lob City" era alongside Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, but the trio never panned out into what they could have been.
Known for their high-flying alley-oops and electrifying dunks, the Lob City Clippers could never string two playoff series wins in a row together, and never even reached the Western Conference Finals.
In 2018, Blake was traded to the Detroit Pistons following an altercation with a Clippers staff member. That same year, he scored a career-high 50 points in a game against the 76ers with the Pistons.
Despite a few lackluster years in Detroit towards the tail end of his prime, Blake averaged 20.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 138 games for the Pistons before they bought out his contract. Blake then signed with the Brooklyn Nets for the remainder of the 2020 season, joining Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden.
After an uninspired season-and-a-half stint with the star-studded Nets (the super team that never quite panned out), he concluded his career with the Boston Celtics in 2022, playing 41 games for the franchise.
Blake retired with career averages of 21.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, shooting 50% from the field over 14 seasons.
“Sometimes you get lucky - you don’t put much work in and you’re successful anyway. But over the course of time, if you really want to shape your path, I think it’s about the quality of the time you put in.”
Throughout his career, Blake was often in the spotlight.
Living in LA provided numerous opportunities for TV commercial appearances, with some of his most memorable being with Subway and Kia.
He dedicated significant effort to building his personal brand and laying the groundwork for a successful post-basketball life.
Despite only announcing his retirement in April 2024, his entrepreneurial efforts have already yielded impressive results.
What is Blake Griffin’s Net Worth?
Blake Griffin’s net worth as of 2024 is estimated to be between $110-120 million.
However, this estimate may be significantly undervalued.
During his 14-year career, Blake earned approximately $258.7 million from NBA contracts alone, before taxes.
Towards the end of his career, he also began investing in real estate in Los Angeles, including a $4.15 million home in Manhattan Beach, a $2.1 million property in Studio City, a $19.1 million property in Brentwood, and an $11 million property in Pacific Palisades.
His full portfolio is estimated to be valued at around $35-40 million.
In addition to his real estate investments, Blake has had numerous endorsements throughout his career.
He currently still has partnerships with Jordan Brand (2012-present), Flagstar Bank (2018-present), Red Bull (2011-present), and Stella Artois (2020-present).
He has also had past partnerships with Kia, Vizio, Subway, IWC, Gamefly, Google Duo, Zegna, Panini America, and Levi’s, and he was featured on the cover of NBA 2K13.
Let's explore why this high-flying businessman likely has a net worth much higher than the estimated $110-120 million.
Blake Griffin’s’s Business Ventures
Blake has a lot going on.
He has been steadily building his personal brand to ensure he could hit the ground running as soon as his basketball career ended, and he has.
Let's explore why there's more than meets the eye with Blake Griffin.
“You always want to be better than you are. No matter what, I think that’s important.”
Media
As his post-career path unfolds, it's evident Blake has always aimed for Hollywood and has carefully set the stage for himself to have a presence in media and entertainment.
Throughout his basketball tenure, he strategically cultivated his personal brand through numerous TV commercials for endorsements, priming himself for a seamless transition from the court to the screen.
The Long Game
In 2015, Blake co-founded Mortal Media alongside NFL player Ryan Kalil.
Kalil is also a successful athlete himself, boasting 3 All Pro and 5 Pro Bowl selections over his 13 year career.
The two of them connected over their sports background and have made significant strides in the entertainment industry.
Mortal Media contributed to notable projects such as the remake of "White Men Can’t Jump" on Hulu and the sci-fi dramedy "Hello Tomorrow" on Apple TV.
Their collaboration extends to ongoing projects with Disney, Fox, and Netflix.
In a pivotal move in 2023, Blake and Kalil inked a multi-year first-look development and production deal with Sony, signaling their ambition to shape both scripted and non-scripted content for film and television.
“We are honored to join the Sony Pictures family. We’ve long admired Sony’s legacy of creative risk-taking and producing stories that stand the test of time. We’ve already begun delving into some exciting projects.”
Piece by Piece
Blake Griffin has methodically expanded his presence in media, enriching his personal brand and gaining invaluable experience in entertainment, earning positive remarks for his performances so far.
His television appearances span sitcoms like "Broad City," roasts alongside Jeff Ross and Alec Baldwin, and guest spots on prominent late-night shows including James Corden, Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Kimmel.
He has also featured in digital content for Comedy Central and starred in the movie "The Female Brain."
Within Mortal Media's ecosystem, Blake created and hosted the podcast "The Pursuit of Healthiness" on Audible where he was able to geek out over health and wellness.
Additionally, he contributed personal stories to the Players Tribune, founded by Derek Jeter, fostering a direct connection with fans through authentic narratives.
“The sincerity with which you do things, that’s what shapes your life.”
Blake Griffin's deliberate approach to media ventures exemplifies his transition from sports to entertainment, showcasing his versatility and long-term vision for himself in the industry.
Angel Investor
Blake Griffin is diversifying his portfolio with strategic investments across various industries.
These are his most notable ventures.
Hyperice
Blake recognized the potential of Hyperice early on, investing in the company in 2010 after meeting founder Andrew Katz.
Blake stated that the reason he became a shareholder in the company was because “as people learn more about performance, it trends towards more recovery. The better you can recover, the harder you can work out, the better you can perform.”
Hyperice gained prominence with its Hypervolt, touted as the world’s quietest massager designed for faster recovery.
In 2020, the company secured $48 million from the NBA as part of a multi-year partnership and subsequently added the Los Angeles Lakers as a sponsor after the NBA Bubble.
An all-star cast of athletes have also joined Blake with varying roles in the company, including Naomi Osaka, Juju Smith-Schuster, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Lebron James, and more.
Hyperice reported over $200 million in revenue by 2020 and was valued at $700 million in 2021.
“Being that proper recovery and injury prevention has been a major focus for Blake throughout his career, the relationship with HyperIce was a no-brainer. Blake has been invested in the company from its beginning in 2010, lending his firsthand knowledge and expertise to founder Anthony Katz as the company continues to develop innovative products. Now, with a variety of recovery and injury prevention products on the market, HyperIce aims to become the world’s best injury prevention and recovery company on the planet.”
Lemon Perfect
In 2020, Blake joined fellow athlete investors such as Nick Young, Kyle Kuzma, and Spencer Dinwiddie in a seed funding round for Lemon Perfect, a lemon-water company founded by former college basketball coach Yanni Hufnagel.
Enhanced water is a subcategory of the functional beverage category, valued at $6.8 billion globally in 2018 and is anticipated to reach $13.2B by 2025.
After becoming available online and entering over 3,000 stores across the US, the company reached an estimated $60 million in revenue in 2022 and garnered additional attention with a $31 million Series A round involving Beyoncé.
Within just five years of its launch, Lemon Perfect reached a valuation of $100 million.
Another strong, early investment by Blake.
Orgain
Blake’s involvement with Orgain, a plant-based protein company founded by Dr. Andrew Abraham in 2009, perfectly compliments his personal brand.
“Take care of your body from the inside out.”
He joined Orgain’s Athlete Advisory Council, comprising athlete shareholders aiming for long-term impact on the company’s growth.
The council includes Victor Oladipo, Langston Galloway, Thaddeus Young, Byron Jones, Mark Sanchez, Desmond Howard, and more.
More recently, Blake appeared in a promotional video for the company, donning a disguise and going undercover as “Orgain Wayne,” the Costco sampler who passionately promotes Orgain - showcasing another facet of Blake’s journey toward Hollywood.
Orgain, estimated to generate around $400 million in revenue, attained a valuation of $2 billion in 2022.
App Harvest
Venturing into sustainability, Blake participated in an $11 million financing round for App Harvest, a company dedicated to sustainable food production through indoor farming.
This round came after a $52 million funding round in 2019 to fund the construction of the 2.7 million acre greenhouse in Morehead, Kentucky.
Founded by Jonathan Webb, App Harvest garnered attention for its innovative approach to growing non-GMO fruits and vegetables.
“Look at the excitement of Blake Griffin wanting to get involved in a fruit and vegetable company in the middle part of America. That shows how not only big, sophisticated institutional investors, but also investors with influence that don’t want to just use their money, want to get involved with these efforts. It’s an exciting time to be in agriculture.”
While Blake reportedly exited the company in 2021 for an undisclosed amount, his initial support highlighted his interest in promoting sustainable agriculture.
Slam Ball
Known for his own aerial prowess on the basketball court, Blake invested in Slam Ball, a hybrid sport combining basketball, football, and trampolines.
Griffin was one of the leaders of raising the $11 million to bring back the spin-off sport featuring players flying higher than he could.
Scheduled for a comeback in July, more than two decades after it was shut down due to poor ratings, Slam Ball looks to reinvigorate interest with its new partners.
Space X
Blake’s investment in Space X underscores his belief in technology that can change the world as we know it.
“SpaceX has gained worldwide attention for a series of historic milestones. It is the only private company capable of returning a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit, and in 2012 their Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station. In 2020, SpaceX became the first private company to take humans there as well.”
He has expressed admiration for Space X CEO Elon Musk, stating in an interview that “Elon Musk is a person who you just believe in.”
While specifics of his involvement are undisclosed, Blake has said this opportunity was a no-brainer in his eyes.
The Success Strategies of Blake Griffin
Scared Money Don’t Make Money: Blake uses his wealth wisely, investing in a diverse portfolio.
Invest in What Excites You: Instead of just taking endorsement deals, Blake takes equity in companies and represents them in marketing.
Invest in the Person as Much as the Product: Blake believes in the founders of his investments and is vocal about it.
Focus Now, Diversify Later: Griffin built his wealth primarily through basketball and diversified his earned capital later.
Think Ahead, but Live in the Moment: Blake understood that his basketball career wouldn’t last forever. He laid the groundwork for his next ventures while still playing, setting himself up for success post-retirement.
The Bottom Line
Throughout his career, Blake Griffin has shown he knew basketball wouldn’t last forever.
While many ventures are still in their infancy, the trajectory of his diverse portfolio is promising, and his passion for his investments is clear.
Transitioning from endorsements to equity deals and gaining on-camera experience, his moves were strategically planned to pave the way for a successful post-basketball career.
There's more to Blake Griffin than meets the eye, and with his retirement from basketball in the books, there’s definitely more to come from the big man on the big screen.
You have to fall in love with the process of becoming great.
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