Blake Griffin might be popular as a basketball player who’s drawn fame to himself over the course of time with his skills playing since high school and made it to be drafted as a first overall pick by Los Angeles Clippers before subsequently joining Detroit Pistons.
But certainly, he is not the only member of his family who has made it to become famous as his brother Taylor Griffin also has a successful career as a basketball player who played for different teams including Italy’s Pallacanetro Trapani.
Meet Blake Griffin’s Parents
Tommy and Gail Griffin are not just famous as parents of famous basketballers but also well-known especially because of their interracial marriage, their involvement in basketball, the lives of their renowned children, as well as Tommy Griffin’s career as a coach and former basketball player.
Everything Interesting About Tommy And Gail Griffin – Blake Griffin’s Parents
1. Tommy and Gail Met While Working At Classen High School
In the early 80s, while working at the Classen High School, Tommy and Gail met, fell in love, and subsequently tied the knot. At Classen, Tommy was serving as a basketball coach while Gail was a cheerleading sponsor.
2. Tommy and Gail’s Interracial Marriage
When it comes to their ethnicity, marriage, and children, there is always something to talk about. For Gail and Tommy whose relationship started in the early 80s when interracial marriage was not well accepted, Gail in an article by The Oklahoman recalled how people would stare, and make comments; but another side of the story would be that they were never really confronted.
Blake’s parents did not allow their wide difference in Tommy being an Afro-Haitian while Gail is Caucasian take the best part of their relationship and how they brought their children up.
3. Gail Homeschooled Blake And His Brother Taylor
For a lot of years, Blake and Taylor were taught by their mother at home till Taylor was in 10th grade while Blake was in 8th.
4. Blake’s Father Tommy Has a Successful Career as a Basketball Coach and Player
Tommy Griffin availed himself to play a number of sports such as javelin, pole vault, discus, high jump, but he became known for his talent in basketball. As a player, he played for the Rangers while attending Northwestern University.
His journey to becoming a coach started when he took the job of an assistant basketball coach at Classen High School for a few years before becoming the school’s head coach for 15 years.
Under his watch, the team won two state championships including the 3A title in 1975 and the 4A title in 1980. He continued his job as a high school coach for more than 2 decades coaching at John Marshall, and Oklahoma Christian School.
Throughout his career, he made it to becoming five-time All-City Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, two-time Region 8 Coach of the Year, winning the 5A state championship in 1996 and 2000; and went undefeated in the 2004 season among many other trophies and titles attached to Tommy. Also, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
5. Gail Taught The Boys Coached By Her Husband
It sure wasn’t only her children or students at school that Gail taught. She extended her kindness to the boys coached by her husband as regards their academics when they needed any help.
6. Tommy and Gail Griffin Are Well-known For Their Generosity
Right from the time when they did not have enough money to give to others, Tommy and Gail Griffin would not hesitate to give out kindness and support to a lot of people around them including giving rides and reportedly dropping off leftovers from team meals to people who lived in a single-parent home among many other kind gestures.
The generosity has been passed to Blake and Taylor. For Blake, he established a fundraiser called ‘Dunking for Dollars’, in which he donates $100 to fight childhood obesity for every dunk he gets in a season.
He also donates to help people with cancer, as well as pledge earlier in 2020 to give $100,000 to the staff of Little Ceasars Arena for their inability to work as a result of the break caused by the novel coronavirus.
7. Tommy Coached His Children At Oklahoma Christian School
Professionals now, Taylor (39) and Blake (36) were trained by their father. As the head coach of Oklahoma Christian School, Tommy had in his team his two children who helped the team win trophies such as 2A state high school basketball championships.
8. Tommy Can Be Confused For ‘Tommy Griffin’ Football Player
It is not uncommon to have people share the same first and last names. For Tommy Griffin, he shares a name with a former Irish Gaelic football player for Kerry and the current player with An Daingean.
9. How Rich Are Blake Griffin’s Parents?
As a former basketball player and coach, Tommy has gathered wealth. Also, Gail’s career as a teacher and cheerleading sponsor has also fetched her some earnings.
However, the exact earning of Tommy and Gail Griffin either as individuals or as a couple has remained in the shadows.
Still, their children have amassed a good fortune from their basketball careers, with Blake having an estimated net worth of $110 million which he made from basketball and acting. hie salary annually is $32 Million. His brother, Taylor has an estimated net worth of $1 million
10. Tommy and Gail Griffin Are Grandparents
While Taylor is married to Marieka Griffin since 2011 and has a daughter named Teagan, his brother Blake was previously engaged to Brynn Cameron but separated. Before then, they had two children. Blake also dated Kendall Jenner in the past.
11. They Are Practicing Christians
In many ways on many occasions, Tommy and his wife have come out to show their Christian faith and have raised their children to also become Christians who’d be proud of their faith.
Blake has suffered an injury in 2018 and earlier in 2020, and on both occasions, he made reference to God knowing why it had to be like that, and God’s reasons for the incident would unfold in time.
12. Gail Griffin is often Confused For ‘Gail Griffin’, a Politician
Blake’s mother Gail Griffin, may be confused with an American politician and a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives. This is just because of their names not any sort of physical resemblance.
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