Blake Griffin: Hollywood doesn’t interest me

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Blake Griffin is taking one step to separate himself from other players in the NBA — and it’s not on the court. The young pro has no interest in celebrity status, he says, unlike many of his athletic counterparts.

After the league’s dramatic lockout, Griffin is speaking out about improving his game, not his fame.

‘I want to be a great basketball player. I don’t necessarily want to be a star. I’m not in it to be famous. I want to try to be the best,’ the Clippers player told The Times last week.

Griffin’s peers have game plus a much higher profile in the celeb sphere — think reality stars Lamar Odom and Kris Humphries, not to mention headline grabber Kobe Bryant. Even in his personal life, Griffin seems to maintain a low-profile, unlike, say, Ministry favorite and former Rihanna flame Matt Kemp. (We know he’s a baseball player, but still.)

We’d imagine his peers’ missteps might be responsible for his enlightened attitude (sorry, Humphries), but Griffin thanks his father for his work ethic.

‘My dad pushed me harder than any other coach would have,’ says Griffin, the cover boy for the new issue of Men’s Health. ‘He stressed that when you’re on the court, it’s time to do work. That really rubbed off on me.’

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— Matt Donnelly
twitter.com/MattDonnelly

swimmingly. Credit: Men’s Health.