ALL-BLAKE GRIFFIN SHOW

(SLAM Photo)

Was it really meant to be? Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers is the cover boy of both magazines, which my wife, Lorna, gifted me today via a friend who had just arrived from a China/ Hong Kong trip. The rookie sensation dominated the issues of the two most prestigious hoop magazines in the US, SLAM (147) and DIME (62). Seldom does one see a newbie on those covers but it seems that the “Griffin Phenomena” is simply too hard to resist. The 6-10 wonder boy and former University of Oklahoma standout is a lock to win the Rookie of the Year honors which will add up to his NBA Slam Dunk title he won last February during the All-Star Weekend. He also saw action in both the Rookie-Sophomore game as well as in the main event, the All-Star outing itself at Staples Center. He is currently submitting norms of 22.4 ppg and 12.0 rpg in 74 appearances so far with the Clippers. Griffin is being hailed by many as the future of the NBA. No doubt about it!

DIME NO. 62: “It takes more than just dunks, however, to attain the acclaim Blake Griffin has reached halfway through his first NBA campaign. It’s becoming a 20-and-10 machine night after night, and putting the Clippers back on the map, and assuming the role as the next in line to run his town like Michael Corleone after the current Godfather, Don Kobe, steps down. That’s why Blake is here, and why he’s on the front page of this book.

“That much we do know. The rest of the story? Still waiting to be written. And that’s the fun part.”

SLAM NO. 147: “Still raw and on the upwards slope of his learning curve, Blake Griffin is currently fun to hang with and impossibly fun to watch play. According to a slew of knowledgeable people, given time and opportunity, Blake Griffin may soon be impossible to guard, too.

“He’s got the ingredients to be great, to be a champion,” Clippers assistant coach Marc Iavaroni said. “His drive and natural ability encompasses everything.”

“Aside from a Griffin cover story that delves deeper into some of the things I touched on in this post, SLAM 147 is jam-packed full of other goodness. It all starts with the alternate cover story on Amar’e Stoudemire and ends with an exclusive Tim Duncan Q+A, a Michael Beasley/Kevin Love joint feature, a dose of basketball in China with Alan Paul, a Jared Sullinger profile and plenty of the usual college, high school and NBA goodness.

“So, feel free to cop Blake Griffin’s first SLAM cover.”