- Blake Griffin shares details about his life in Los Angeles, as he joins Prime Video’s NBA coverage next season
- The former basketball star, known for his slam dunks, says he’s past his dunking prime
- Griffin tells PEOPLE it’s his “dream” to take his kids to Lobsterfest at Red Lobster
Nearly one year into his retirement, Blake Griffin says he hasn’t played much basketball since leaving the NBA. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Griffin, 35, shares a glimpse into what his life is like these days.
“As I was getting into the end of my career, I was like, ‘Man, I need somewhat of an outlet, a competitive outlet,’ and a bunch of my friends were playing golf, so I gave it a try,” Griffin shares. “I’ve gotten super into it, some people may even say obsessed.”
Not only does Griffin’s new hobby keep him busy, but golf allows him to keep up with former teammates and fellow retired athletes. “Some guys have been playing since we played together, or some guys just picked it up like myself, but when guys come into town, I’ll take them out to play golf. It’s got its own little NBA and also former athlete community too, so it’s cool.”
Griffin spent his first nine seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers before playing for other teams including the Pistons and Celtics, but he’s made California his home since his retirement.
“I love being in L.A,” says Griffin. “I kind of made this home. I played my first nine years here, so it just became home by default. I love it out here. I got a great group of friends. My kids are in school out here, so it’s great.”
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“And getting to play golf year-round is also a nice little bonus,” adds Griffin, who shares son Ford Wilson, 11, and daughter Finley Elaine, 8, with his ex, Brynn Cameron. Shortly after they split in July 2017, Griffin had a high-profile romance with model Kendall Jenner.
Although Griffin hasn’t been recreating his iconic slam dunks, telling PEOPLE he “kind of left that in the past,” he is paying homage to his NBA career in a new ad with Red Lobster — a chain that Griffin says was “a staple of my childhood growing up.”
“We had one that was two miles from my house growing up,” the Oklahoma native recalls, “so it brings back a lot of good memories. Lobster, cheddar biscuits, all that, so when I had the opportunity to do this for a Red Lobster and Lobsterfest, I jumped at it just because there was just so much nostalgia.”
Now that he’s creating memories with his kids, Griffin says taking them to Red Lobster is a must. “I’ll make it a point to get them to Lobsterfest. That’s my dream because I want to see it through their eyes,” says Griffin.
The father of two will have to cut back on his time on the golf course when the next NBA season begins in the fall. In January, Griffin was announced as one of the names attached to Prime Video’s new studio show, joining Dirk Nowitzki and Taylor Rooks.
Griffin tells PEOPLE he’s “excited” about the opportunity to join the streaming network’s NBA coverage. “The great thing about that job is like I love basketball and I would watch it no matter what. So preparing for me is really just like… It’s just watching games, making sure I’m staying involved.”
Griffin has kept in touch with various general managers and coaches in the NBA that he’s worked with in his career, “just to make sure that I know what I’m talking about and up to date on the newest information that I think teams are looking at,” he says. “We really want this show to be very informative, I think, and bridge the gap between just the average NBA fan and the NBA.”
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