The Aporia · Blake Griffin tried to forget his Clippers shirt disaster

Blake Griffin tried to forget his Clippers shirt disaster — Amazon had other plans

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Murray, T. L. (2026, October 20). Blake Griffin tried to forget his Clippers shirt disaster — Amazon had other plans. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/20/sports/blake-griffin-relives-infamous-clippers-pioneers-shirt-fiasco-that-still-haunts-him/

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Quick Summary

In 2017, Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin signed a $173-million contract but faced backlash when team employees wore shirts featuring him alongside historical figures like Dr. King and Gandhi. Nine years later, during an interview on Amazon Prime Video's NBA coverage, Griffin was reminded of the incident by being given a similar shirt, prompting him to laugh about trying to forget it. The article focuses on how this moment continues to impact Griffin despite his career moves from the Clippers to other teams before retiring in 2023.

Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-21, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

In 2017, the Los Angeles Clippers signed star player Blake Griffin to a five-year, $173-million contract, branding him as a "Clipper for life." However, controversy erupted when employees wore shirts declaring Griffin alongside historical figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Gandhi, dubbing them all "Pioneers." Nine years later, during Amazon's inaugural NBA coverage on Prime Video, Griffin was reminded of this incident by Jared Stacy, the Vice President of Global Live Production, who referred to him as a pioneer again. This brought back painful memories for Griffin, who expressed his discomfort with the situation. The event resurfaced when Griffin appeared on "Pablo Torre Finds Out" and discussed how it still haunts him.

Written for “Blake Griffin Shirt Incident” on 2026-10-21, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Why this leaning score

This article does not take a side on a contested political question, so it has no leaning score. That is an answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political position.

No political leaning scored for article 94901 · logged 2026-10-21

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0 of 15 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Entertainment

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Thomas L. Murray

134 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare to open the 2026-2027 NBA season on Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors, they could be shorthanded.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Lakers face Collin Sexton injury concern ahead of Warriors opener

🔮 When Knecht first joined the team, he was regularly in the Lakers’ starting rotation, but injuries would shortly accumulate, and he was never the same. Bronny James has spent time back and forth between the G League and the Lakers’ active roster.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Tracy Morgan takes brutal shot at Bronny James during Knicks opener

🔮 Curry went on to say that when he, Thompson and Green decide the day comes that they all retire, he will be looking forward to having “a glass of bourbon, and reminisce on all the things that we were able to accomplish.”

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Steph Curry opens up on painful reality of Warriors’ Klay Thompson split

🔮 In 2017, the Los Angeles Clippers gave Blake Griffin a five-year, $173-million contract that they said would make him a “Clipper for life.”

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Blake Griffin tried to forget his Clippers shirt disaster — Amazon had other plans

🔮 Juszczyk found out about his fine on September, 24. when he received a letter from the league that claimed his celebration “constituted an offensive demonstration and could reasonably be construed as being in poor taste.”

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Video surfaces of Bills star taking a beer from Raiders fan in wild celebration

🔮 As the reason why the players continue to ditch the anthem remains a mystery and will develop, the Valkyries are looking to get their first WNBA title in their second year as a franchise.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Valkyries and Dream ditch National Anthem for second game in a row during WNBA Finals

🔮 After rolling on the ground, completing the grab, he could be seen grabbing at his Achilles.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · 49ers’ Mike Evans exits Monday Night Football with non-contact injury

🔮 Kerr went ahead and confirmed that Curry will be playing when the team opens its season on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Mike Evans pays tribute to Warriors legend ahead of Monday Night Football game against Commanders

🔮 After Sunday’s 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Rams running back Kyren Williams voiced his frustration towards the team’s offense, which resulted in him accidentally taking a shot at head coach Sean McVay.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Sean McVay addresses Kyren Williams elephant in room after dejected running back’s reaction

🔮 According to Michael Duarte of The California Post, Garrett will not be playing in the team’s Week 7 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

2026-10-19 · assertive framing · Rams get disheartening Myles Garrett news after slew of injuries to stars

Also by Thomas L. Murray

Lakers face Collin Sexton injury concern ahead of Warriors opener

2026-10-21 · New York Post

Tracy Morgan takes brutal shot at Bronny James during Knicks opener

2026-10-21 · New York Post

Steph Curry opens up on painful reality of Warriors’ Klay Thompson split

2026-10-21 · New York Post

Video surfaces of Bills star taking a beer from Raiders fan in wild celebration

2026-10-20 · New York Post

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 134 articles by Thomas L. Murray →

Claims (15 extracted, 0 hedged)

In 2017, the Los Angeles Clippers gave Blake Griffin a five-year, $173-million contract that they said would make him a “Clipper for life.” asserted

him → give → life

When he signed the contract, employees of the team were wearing a controversial shirt that read “Pioneers,” featuring Griffin alongside notable historical figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, and more. asserted

that → sign → Jr.

Fast forward nine years later, Griffin appeared on “Pablo Torre Finds Out” and talked about how that moment still haunts him to this day. asserted

moment → appear → day

Before Amazon kicked off it’s inaugural season covering the NBA on Prime Video last season, Vice President of Global Live Production, Jared Stacy, held a team meeting with the streaming service’s broadcast and production team and told everyone that they are all “Pioneers.” Including Griffin, whom he reminded had been a “Pioneer” before. “He does this whole speech about, you know, ‘We are pioneers, and I really have to single out one guy.’ asserted

I → kick → guy

And he says, ‘Blake, this isn’t his first foray into being a Pioneer,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh no,'” Griffin said. asserted

Griffin → say → ?

“He brings up the shirt. asserted

He → bring → shirt

When he received the first copy of the shirt, Griffin said he ended up losing it and also didn’t realize who was on it at first. asserted

who → receive → it

“Literally on the way home it had exploded on Twitter, and I was like, ‘Is that Martin Luther King? Is that Gandhi? Oh my God,'” Griffin said. asserted

Griffin → explode → Twitter

During the interview, Torre asked Griffin if he had remembered all the faces on the shirt. asserted

he → ask → shirt

The former six-time All-Star started off strong, but couldn’t complete the entirety of the list as he forgot Nelson Mandela and Michael Jackson were featured in the image. asserted

Mandela → start → image

“I’ve tried to block the shirt out of my memory,” Griffin said while laughing about it. asserted

Griffin → try → it

While the Los Angeles Clippers promised Griffin that day he would be a “Clipper for life,” their word would be true for only a year and a half, as he was traded by the team to the Detroit Pistons in January 2018. asserted

he → promise → January

Griffin spent over three years with the Pistons, then finished his career playing for the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics. asserted

Griffin → spend → Nets

Following the 2023 season, Griffin retired from basketball. asserted

Griffin → follow → basketball

Now, Griffin is about to embark on his second year working in the NBA on Prime Video and is also about to begin his new show, “The Stepback with Blake Griffin.” asserted

Griffin → embark → Griffin

Blake Griffin tried to forget his Clippers shirt disaster — Amazon had other plans

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Claims (15 extracted, 0 hedged)