Griffin's athleticism is perhaps only equaled by LeBron James, but there's a problem: He's playing on a knee with an injury history, and putting about as much pressure on it as one possibly could. His knee's health, in truth, will likely determine his long-term success in the NBA, but the name across the front of his jersey will also play a large part. Right now, it says "Clippers," which may be just about the worst sign possible, as far as winning rings is concerned. Still, the young core of Griffin, Eric Bledsoe, and Eric Gordon is one that surely has promise, meaning it's possible that the Clipper curse could be broken. Of course, Griffin could leave the Clips to play for a contender — something that most promising Clippers tend to do.
Then, there's the issue of what Griffin actually is as a player. Simply put, dunks don't win titles. Griffin has all of the tools to be a dominant NBA player, but he's still learning. Right now, he gets by on athleticism and naturally soft hands, but he doesn't totally know what he's doing on the court. If he can raise his basketball IQ, develop a jumpshot, and be somebody who makes his teammates better, then the sky is the limit. It does, though, remain to be seen whether or not such will occur.
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