Blake Griffin is already one of my favorite NBA players

Watch this first.

REMOVED

Now you know part of why Blake Griffin is one of my favorite NBA players after only one game in the league.  Ok, I watched him play a lot in college, so I knew what was coming.  Still, I made sure to stay up late to watch him finally make his debut in the NBA. 

Griffin was the #1 overall draft pick by the Clippers before last season and injured his knee, on a slam dunk, during a preseason game.  He missed all of last season, so this is his rookie year.  In addition to being one of the most athletic big guys you will ever see (he is listed at 6'10", 251 lbs.), Griffin plays good defense, boxes out, runs the floor, passes, and plays the game with energy.  And he makes highlight reel plays like the ones above.

Blake Griffin plays the way you would teach a young big man the game.  He acts like one of those marginal players that has to outwork everybody just to make the team, but he is actually the best player out there.  Opponents will get tired of having to deal with this guy on the court.  Hopefully that trait spreads to his teammates, and maybe the Clippers will become a decent team.

There aren't many basketball players like Blake Griffin.  He reminds me a little of what Len Bias might have been.

These highlights are only the beginning of a promising career.