Most comets burn up once they enter the Earth's atmosphere.
Griffin never foresaw any of it, though. He knew people would want more from him and that he would want more from himself. But the backlash? The hatred on Twitter? The reputation as a flopper and a complainer? No, he didn't see any of that coming.
"I just didn't realize so many people would try to attack you and bring you down," he says. "I guess I was naive, but I didn't expect it."
You can tell there's a part of him that is wounded by the way it's gone. He's not motivated by proving people wrong. He doesn't need a chip on his shoulder.
He simply wants to be as great as he can be and not one inch less.
The Clippers gave him a personality test as a rookie. He came back as a classic perfectionist.
It surprised him at the time. He's fastidious and organized. He runs early to meetings, never late. But he lets things slide all the time. Now he sees it, though.
"I was talking to [Clippers shooting coach] Bob Thate the other day and he was like, 'You know what I've realized about you? Even if you shot 90 percent from the free throw line, you're going to be pissed that you didn't shoot 93 percent,' " Griffin says.
He smiles a little, recognizing that Thate has nailed him.
Every day, he smiles a little bit more. He is better able to see himself now, where he really is and where he needs to go.
It's coming. It's just never going to be soon enough.
Ramona Shelburne, ESPN Los Angeles
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