Eddie Griffin (basketball)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 30, 1982 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | August 17, 2007 (aged 25) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Roman Catholic (Philadelphia) |
| College | Seton Hall |
| NBA draft | 2001: 7th overall |
| Selected by the New Jersey Nets | |
| Playing career | 2001–2007 |
| Position | Power forward/center |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| 2001–02 NBA All-Rookie Second Team | |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Eddie Jamaal Griffin (May 30, 1982 – August 17, 2007) was an American professional basketball player. He last played for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, who waived him on March 13, 2007.[1] Months later, he was killed in a car crash. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
College career
After a standout career at Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia in which he was named Parade Magazine's National Player of the Year, he competed in the McDonald's All American Game and led Roman to the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship in his junior year.
As a freshman, Griffin averaged 17.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.4 blocks for Seton Hall University, and was at one point thought to be a potential top pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. He was named the nation's Freshman of the Year by The Sporting News.[2]
In January 2001, Griffin got in a fight with teammate Ty Shine. Griffin left the school in somewhat acrimonious circumstances after his freshman year, and made himself available for the NBA Draft.[3]
NBA career
Despite his outstanding stats at Seton Hall, questions about his attitude made him slip to the 7th pick of the 2001 NBA Draft, where he was selected by the New Jersey Nets. Griffin's draft rights were immediately traded to the Houston Rockets for Jason Collins, Brandon Armstrong, and the rights to Richard Jefferson.
In his rookie year during the 2001–02 season, Griffin played in 73 games (starting 24) while averaging 8.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.84 blocks per game (ranking 13th in the NBA in that category). He followed with another solid year in 2002–03, averaging 8.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.44 blocks per contest.
However, Griffin suffered from alcoholism, and his troubles piled up quickly over the following year. In December 2003, the Rockets released him after he missed practices and a team flight. Griffin signed with the Nets in January 2004, but missed the entire 2003-04 season when he entered an alcohol rehabilitation center.
Prior to the 2004–05 season, the Timberwolves signed Griffin to a one-year contract, and for that season he put up roughly the same numbers he had in his two previous seasons. The Timberwolves re-signed Griffin for three years (player option in the third), starting with the 2005–06 season. Griffin had a relatively significant drop off in scoring and rebounding (whilst suffering only a slight drop in minutes per game), while averaging a career-high in blocks per game (2.11).
In 2006, Griffin was involved a car accident in which he rammed his SUV into a parked car. He was allegedly watching pornographic videos and masturbating at the time of the incident. Rumor has it that he actually had his member in his hand. As a consequence none of trhe first-responders to the scene wanted to provide assistance to the scene. This came shortly after a stop-off at a nearby convenience store where a security video tape caught Griffin professing his intoxication.[4]
In March 2007, Griffin was released by the Timberwolves, who had grown tired of his attitude and off-court troubles. [5]
Death
Eddie Griffin died as a result of a car crash on August 17, 2007 at about 1:30 a.m.[6] Houston police said in a report that Griffin ignored a railroad warning and went through a barrier before striking a moving train. The resulting fire burned Griffin's SUV and the side of a railcar carrying plastic granules.[6] Griffin's body was badly burned and there was no initial identification. Dental records later revealed the man was Griffin. He had more than three times the legal alcohol limit in his system when he crashed, according to an autopsy report. The Harris County Medical Examiner's office said the 25-year-old Griffin died of "multiple blunt force injuries." The medical examiner's office performed tests on Griffin's bile and blood from his heart and liver and determined his blood-alcohol level was 0.26. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08. Tests found no traces of cocaine, barbiturates or any other narcotics.[7] Former Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey said he had not talked to Griffin in five or six months, but he knew that Griffin was spending the summer trying to get back in shape to play in Europe the next season.[8] He was buried in Northwood Cemetery in Philadelphia.[9] He is survived by a 3-year-old daughter named Amaree.[10]
References
- ^ "Timberwolves waive Griffin". SI.com. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
- ^ The Sporting News: Freshman of the Year
- ^ ESPN: Griffin leaves Seton Hall in quandary
- ^ Tape shows T-Wolves' Griffin saying he was drunk after crash, posted June 30, 2006
- ^ Star Tribune: Griffin's antics should no longer be tolerated
- ^ a b Griffin killed when car hit train last week. Updated August 22, 2007
- ^ ""Autopsy shows Griffin had more than 3 times blood-alcohol limit", ESPN.com, October 26, 2007".
- ^ Former NBA player Eddie GriffinFox Sports: Griffin killed in SUV collision with train
- ^ Find-a-Grave memorial for Eddie Griffin
- ^ Griffin's Funeral Brings Together Those Who Knew 'A Great Kid', posted August 29, 2007
External links
- 1982 births
- 2007 deaths
- Road accident deaths in Texas
- African American basketball players
- Basketball players from Pennsylvania
- People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball players
- Houston Rockets players
- Minnesota Timberwolves players
- McDonald's High School All-Americans
- New Jersey Nets draft picks
- Centers (basketball)
- Power forwards (basketball)