Eddie Griffin (basketball)
A prodigiously talented shot-blocker whose NBA promise was tragically cut short by personal struggles and an early death.
1982–2007 (age 25)·American basketball player·Birthday: May 30·Millennials
Biography
Eddie Griffin entered the league draped in the potential of a top-10 draft pick, a lanky forward from Seton Hall with an uncanny instinct for rejecting shots. The Houston Rockets saw him as a cornerstone, but his professional journey quickly became turbulent, marred by off-court issues that led to multiple team changes. Brief flashes of his ability—a thunderous dunk, a stunning block—reminded observers of the talent that once seemed limitless. After stints with several teams, he was attempting a comeback with the Minnesota Timberwolves when his life ended abruptly in a single-car accident at age 25. Griffin's legacy is a complex and somber narrative of unfulfilled potential in the world of professional sports.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Eddie was born in 1982, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Eddie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1982
#1 Movie
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Best Picture
Gandhi
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Eddie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1982Born
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1987Started school
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1995Became a teenager
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Could drive
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2000Could vote
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Turned 21
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2007Died at 25
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Selected 7th overall by the New Jersey Nets in the 2001 NBA Draft and immediately traded to the Houston Rockets.
- Averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game during his rookie season with Houston.
- Recorded a career-high 10 blocks in a single game for the Rockets against the Golden State Warriors in December 2004.
Did You Know?
He was named the Big East Rookie of the Year in 2001 while at Seton Hall.
He skipped his senior year of high school to enroll at Seton Hall University.
His draft rights were traded by the Nets to the Rockets for three future first-round picks.
“I wanted to block every shot and grab every rebound; that was my focus.”
