You remember the 2011 Dunk Contest. Blake Griffin jumping over a Kia Optima—while a choir sang "I Believe I Can Fly"—is burned into the collective memory of every basketball fan. He looked like a giant. A literal superhero in a Clippers jersey. But if you’ve ever stood near an NBA court or looked closely at the draft combine data, you start to realize that the "6-foot-10" label usually attached to him is a bit of a stretch.
Honestly, the way we talk about how tall Blake Griffin is usually depends on whether we’re talking about "NBA height" or "real-life height." There’s a difference. For years, the league was notorious for adding an inch or two to players' profiles to make them seem more imposing.
He isn't quite the towering 6'10" behemoth the back of his trading cards once claimed.
The Cold, Hard Numbers from the Combine
When Blake showed up to the 2009 NBA Draft Combine, the measuring tape told a story that scouts didn't expect. He measured 6'8.5" without shoes. That’s the "real" number. In his playing sneakers, he cleared the 6'10" mark easily, which is why the Clippers listed him that way for a decade.
👉 See also: Vegas NFL Odds Week 3: Why the Smart Money is Fading the Favorites
It’s a classic case of basketball inflation.
Think about it this way: 6'8.5" is essentially the same height as LeBron James. While that’s huge for a normal human, for a guy whose entire game was built on dominating the "four" position and banging with seven-footers, it’s actually a little undersized.
The "T-Rex Arms" Myth
Height is only one part of the equation in the NBA. Reach matters way more. This is where the Blake Griffin height conversation gets really interesting—and a little controversial among stat-heads.
Griffin has a 6'11.25" wingspan.
On paper, that sounds fine. It’s longer than he is tall. But in the NBA, elite power forwards usually have wingspans that are 4 or 5 inches longer than their height. For comparison, Kevin Durant is roughly the same height but has a wingspan of nearly 7'5".
✨ Don't miss: Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka: Why the US Open Winner 2024 Results Actually Changed Tennis
Because Blake's wingspan was relatively "short" for his position, he earned a bit of a reputation for having "T-Rex arms." It's a harsh joke for a guy who could put almost anyone in the league on a poster, but it explains why he had to rely so much on his incredible 35.5-inch vertical leap to grab rebounds and block shots. He didn't have the "long" frame of a traditional rim protector. He had to out-jump the problem.
Why the NBA Changed His Height in 2019
The league finally got tired of the "rounding up" games in 2019. They mandated that every team submit official, shoeless measurements verified by team doctors.
When the dust settled, Blake was officially re-listed at 6'9".
It was a weird moment of clarity for fans. Suddenly, the guy we’d been calling 6'10" for years "shrunk" overnight, even though he hadn't actually changed. It just confirmed what most of us suspected: he’s a massive, powerful athlete, but he’s built more like a modern "point forward" than a classic center.
Standing Next to the Greats
If you want to visualize how tall Blake Griffin really is, look at photos of him next to his old teammate DeAndre Jordan. DJ is a legit 6'11", and the gap between them is noticeable. When Blake stood next to Chris Paul (who is about 6'0"), he looked like a titan. But put him next to a guy like Anthony Davis (6'10" with a 7'6" wingspan), and you see the physical disadvantage Blake was constantly overcoming with sheer strength.
✨ Don't miss: The Pistons Score Last Night and Why Detroit Finally Looks Dangerous
Basically, Blake Griffin is a 6'9" powerhouse who played much larger than his frame. He used a 250-pound frame and world-class explosiveness to bridge the gap between his "shorter" reach and the giants of the league.
What You Can Learn from Blake’s Build
If you're an aspiring player or just a fan of the mechanics of the game, Blake’s career is a lesson in leverage. He knew he wasn't the tallest guy on the floor, so he became one of the strongest. He refined his ball-handling and his mid-range jumper because he knew he couldn't just "shoot over" everyone forever as his verticality declined with age.
Actionable Insights for Your Game:
- Measure your standing reach, not just height: Your reach determines how you play defense and rebound. Blake’s standing reach was 8'9", which is why he had to be a "high-pointer" on rebounds.
- Strength compensates for length: If you lack a massive wingspan, building lower-body power allows you to hold your ground against taller opponents.
- Verticality is a skill: Blake didn't just have "hops"; he had timing. Study how he used his body to shield defenders while in the air.
At the end of the day, whether he's 6'8.5", 6'9", or 6'10", the impact he had on the "Lob City" era was massive. He redefined what a power forward could do in the open court, proving that skill and athleticism will always beat a few extra inches on a measuring tape.