Pour one out for Blake Griffin

Patrick Stoddard

March 11, 2022

Blake Griffin once seemed like a surefire NBA Hall of Famer. Griffin was selected as the 1st pick in the 2009 NBA draft. Since then, Griffin has accumulated six NBA All-Star selections and five All-NBA selections. However, after being traded to the Detroit Pistons in 2018, Grifin has seemed to fade away into NBA obscurity where NBA fans are like, "oh yea, that guy still exists."

Griffin was once one of the NBA's most exciting and talented young stars; he now seems unable to crack an NBA rotation. Indicating this may be the end of Blake Griffin's career in the NBA.

According to Basketball-Reference, Griffin has roughly a 55% chance of entering the NBA Hall of Fame. Given Griffin's 50-50 chance of making the hall, he most likely will not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Griffin is currently a member of the Brooklyn Nets and is hardly playing at all. Even if Griffin was to play two to three more NBA seasons, would those seasons add to his Hall of Fame chances? Most likely, those extra seasons would not add to his chances and could leave Hall of Fame voters with a sour taste in their regarding Griffin.

If the Brooklyn Nets win the NBA Championship this season, does anyone think Griffin's card prices will go up from becoming an NBA Champion? I would doubt it; it seems unlikely he would play much in the playoffs. His lack of playing time equates his NBA Championship to a participation trophy in the ethos of history.

Blake Griffins 2009 Topps Chrome is considered his primary base rookie card. His Topps Chrome card is unique for it is serial numbered out of /999, making only 999 of Griffins 2009 Topps Chrome Rookie cards in existence. His Topps Chrome has a refractor out of /500, and he has many other rookie cards other than his Topps Chrome.

Griffin's 2009 Topps Chrome PSA 10 is currently valued at $450 on Card Ladder. With the BGS 9.5 at about $225. His Topps Chrome being numbered out of /999 is an interesting predicament for long-term holders of Griffin. His holders know the exact population of Griffins Topps Chrome cards and could lead them to hold onto those cards for many years in the hope Griffin is inducted into the Hall of Fame.

As touched on above, Griffin has many other rookie cards than his Topps Chrome; buyers could snag PSA 10's of Griffins non-Topps Chrome cards for under $100. I would avoid any non-serial numbers or autographed cards myself.

So, if Griffin called it a career upon the conclusion of the current NBA season, should Griffin card collectors sell-off or hold in hopes he makes the Hall of Fame.

I believe the best play would be for collectors to sell their Blake Griffin rookie cards and re-invest in other NBA Hall of Famers if they so desired to, maybe someone like the criminally undervalued Tim Duncan.

If Griffin does make the Hall of Fame, I have a hard time seeing him being inducted on the first Hall of Fame ballot he is eligible for. Meaning Griffin collectors may be left holding his cards for a long time, hoping Griffin can be inducted into the hall every year.

 During that waiting period, Griffins cards are unlikely to go up in monetary value. I would sell and re-invest the money into exciting young NBA players or already enshrined NBA Hall of Fame players. Why wait and torture ourselves all those years to see if he is inducted or not?

Griffin does not seem to have an extensive collector base from what I have gathered. If Griffin is inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame, potential buyers will likely be able to rebuy his cards around the same prices they currently sit. Look at other Power Forward inducted into the Hall of Fame; their prices are lower than guards or wings. Look at Chris Bosh, a two-time NBA champion. Buyers can get highly graded rookie cards of his for under $100.

As Bill Simmons said recently on his podcast "The Bill Simmons Show," "pour one out for Blake Griffin." Grifin's cardboard relevance certainly seems to be at the end of the road. So, pour one out for ole' Blake.

Disclaimer: I’m a paying customer of Card Ladder. This content is for informational and/or entertainment purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, investment, financial, or other advice.

Photo credit: "pouring one out for our homies" by the queen of subtle is marked with CC BY-NC 2.0.