Griffin in 2011
Birth Name: Blake Austin Griffin
Place of Birth: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Date of Birth: March 16, 1989
Ethnicity:
*father – African-Haitian/African-American
*mother – English
Blake Griffin is an American professional basketball player. A power forward, he played for the Los Angeles Clippers, the Detroit Pistons, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the number one NBA draft pick in 2009. He is 6′9″.
Blake is the son of Gail and Tommy Griffin, who is a basketball player and basketball coach. His father is black, with African-Haitian ancestry. His mother is white, with English ancestry. His brother, Taylor Griffin, is also a professional basketball player.
Blake has two children with his former partner Brynn Cameron. Brynn’s brother is professional basketball player Jordan Cameron.
Griffin’s parents
Blake’s maternal grandfather was Clarence Melvin Simmons (the son of Curtis W. Simmons and Mabel/Mable D. Hiatt). Clarence was born in Oklahoma. Curtis was the son of Edwin Cirby Simmons and Mildred Dixon Poarch.
Blake’s maternal grandmother was Fanel Owings (the daughter of Lyle/Lyles Greenwood Owings and Alice/Allie S. Pat/Patricia Speed). Fanel was born in Texas. Lyle was the son of Eldridge John Owings and S. Margaret “Maggie” Greenwood. Alice was the daughter of Patrick Milton Speed and Alice Elizabeth Burleson.
Sources: Obituaries of Blake’s maternal grandparents, Clarence Melvin Simmons and Fanel (Owings) Simmons – https://www.findagrave.com
Blake’s maternal grandfather, Clarence Melvin Simmons, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Blake’s maternal grandfather, Clarence Melvin Simmons – http://legacy.newsok.com
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