Oklahoma sophomore forward Blake Griffin announced that he will take his game to the NBA, officially declaring for the draft after winning the Naismith Trophy as national player of the year Sunday. Griffin was nearly unanimously regarded as the best player in the country this past season, and many scouting services project him as the No. 1 overall pick in June’s draft. He averaged 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds per game. Against eventual national champion North Carolina, Griffin outplayed his much-heralded counterpart, Tyler Hansbrough. Coach Jeff Capel expressed his approval of Griffin’s decision, according to a university press release.
The 6-10, 251-pound forward, who was the Big 12 Player of the Year and the only unanimous first-team league selection, set OU and Big 12 single-season records for rebounds (504), rebounding average, field goal percentage and double-doubles. Griffin also set school records for free throw attempts (324) and free throw attempts per game (9.3).
“This is the right decision,” said Capel, who received a verbal commitment from Griffin to attend OU almost three years ago. “In my mind, it was a no-brainer. It wasn’t a decision to really debate because it is the right one. It is the best thing for Blake, it is the best thing for the University of Oklahoma and the best thing for our program.”
