Tulsa World: Blake griffin: Returning to lead

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Blake griffin: Returning to lead

OU's Blake Griffin, shown against Missouri last season, averaged 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds as a freshman last season. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World file

By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 11/2/2008 4:10 AM
Last Modified: 11/2/2008 5:12 AM

NORMAN — Well, here it is, the reason Blake Griffin turned down NBA millions last April and decided to return to Oklahoma.

His sophomore season.

A chance to develop as a player, and help the Sooners develop as a team, maybe take them deeper into the NCAA Tournament.

That's where we last left Griffin, with an NCAA loss to Louisville that ended the biggest freshman season at OU since Wayman Tisdale 25 years earlier.

Here's where we pick up

W

hat has changed with you since then?

I came in in better shape. My shot's gotten better. I've been working hard to improve my overall game, being a leader. I'm trying to keep the same pace, still trying to play hard, but being able to go hard however long we're out here, not get tired.

You spent several weeks over the summer training in San Francisco. What were some of the things you did?

Running up sand hills, running on the beach. We'd be at children's playgrounds doing pull-ups, push-ups, different kinds of stuff to really work on your core. The diet was the big thing out there. We couldn't eat anything with sugar or high cholesterol, anything with a lot of fat. Everything was grilled chicken, oatmeal, egg whites. Every day.

Did you get away from basketball any over the offseason?

When the season was first over, I took a couple weekends off here and there. On off days, I'd come in and shoot. I wouldn't come in every day and go real hard, pound my body. But I'd try

to get in every day and get some shots up.

Does being named Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year mean anything to you?

It's great to have. But at the same time, I haven't done anything yet. It will mean a lot more to me if that award comes at the end of the year, and also if we have a championship trophy in our trophy case.

You expect that kind of year?

We expect it to be huge. All of us believe the sky is the limit for this team. We just have to come together and play well, buy into what the coaches are telling us. I think we can do a lot of big things that not many teams have done here.

When's the last time you looked at an NBA mock draft board?

I don't even know. Maybe last year some time. I'm not worried about it all right now. If we do well this season, that will take care of itself.

Guerin Emig 581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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Sodumdum 83, Bella Vista (11/2/2008 3:03:29 PM)

We need more players like Blake who believe in becoming a better player in college is more important than leaving early for the pro's.

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