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Blake Griffin ran through LAX ‘like an insane person’ for DeAndre Jordan

Clippers center DeAndre Jordan talks with forward Blake Griffin (32) during the second half of a playoff game against the Spurs.

Clippers center DeAndre Jordan talks with forward Blake Griffin (32) during the second half of a playoff game against the Spurs.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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In a column for the Players’ Tribune, Blake Griffin detailed what actually happened on July 8, when DeAndre Jordan backed out of his verbal commitment with the Dallas Mavericks to re-sign with the Clippers.

Griffin wrote that he had flown to Houston on July 7 when he learned that Jordan was having serious doubts about having committed to the Mavericks.

“I’m his friend above all else,” Griffin wrote. “I stuffed some clothes into a bag, ran through LAX and got on the first flight to Houston. My intention wasn’t to go down and sell DeAndre on the Clippers. We promised each other a long time ago that we’d never do that stuff. I just wanted to be there for my friend and hear him out.”

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Jordan and Griffin grabbed dinner that evening, and Griffin said only five minutes of their conversation revolved around basketball. [Fun fact: Mavericks owner Mark Cuban had earlier revealed that he had gone to Jordan’s home that evening to talk with him, but Jordan had said he was out on a date.]

Anyway, here’s how Griffin and Jordan’s heart-to-heart went down, according to Griffin: “I just told him why I thought he was a good fit in L.A., then I said, ‘Look, man, whatever you : want to do, I’ll still be your friend,’” Griffin wrote. “And I genuinely meant it. At the end of the day, we’re all human beings. It’s a lot more complicated than picking a jersey. There’s all kinds of pressure from friends, family, agents and people who you just want to make happy.”

Griffin said rumors began to fly the following morning after Clippers Coach Doc Rivers, team owner Steve Ballmer and players J.J. Redick, Paul Pierce and Chris Paul arrived in Houston to meet with Jordan.

“People were literally tweeting things like, ‘DeAndre is a grown-ass man! Stop holding him hostage!’ and ‘You should all be arrested for this! I’m calling the cops!’” Griffin wrote.

Griffin said the scene at Jordan’s home was far from a hostage situation. Some players were watching TV, others playing video games. Griffin said he even drove around Houston for a while to kill time when he got bored.

“DeAndre just wanted to clear the air and talk with everybody — which is something we should have done a month ago, but that’s life,” Griffin wrote. “Sometimes you don’t say what should be said.”

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After Jordan officially signed with the Clippers later that evening, Griffin said he immediately saw relief on his friend’s face.

“He seemed happy for the first time in a while,” Griffin wrote. “I was like, ‘Welp, that was crazy. At least now you know how much I love you. I ran through LAX like an insane person for you, bro. Let us never speak of it again.’”

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