Retired power forward Blake Griffin is best known for his time with the Los Angeles Clippers. His run with the franchise, however, ended rather bitterly after he was traded to the Detroit Pistons.

Nearly nine years after the trade, Griffin revisited an awkward encounter with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer when he returned.

Blake Griffin Recalls His First Return After the Clippers Traded Him to the Pistons

In January 2019, Griffin made his first appearance at the Staples Center, the Clippers’ home court and his former home turf. He had been traded to the Detroit Pistons a year earlier.

On the day he was set to play against his former team, he became involved in an awkward and controversial interaction. During pregame warm-ups, Ballmer came over to shake his hand, but Griffin ran past him on his way to the tunnel.

This incident was revisited by the former Clippers star on Tuesday’s episode of “Pablo Torre Finds Out.” Griffin said running to the tunnel after warm-ups was routine for him, and he had never stopped for anyone as he ran off the court.

He admitted he did not initially see Ballmer and only realized he was there as he began taking off, but he still did not change his routine.

“I get to the locker room, and I’m continuing my routine,” Griffin said. According to him, Clippers executive Gillian Zucker texted his agent to ask if he would shake Ballmer’s hand before the game started.

“I’m like, ‘oh, this is all for the appearance,'” he continued. He emphasized that he kept refusing to shake Ballmer’s hand because it felt like it was all for show.

“What really [expletive] me off, too, was that there were some Clippers reporters, some beat writers that were like very critical of what I did,” Griffin added. “In my mind, I’m like, ‘you guys know I do that every game.’ So why was I obligated?”

“I have zero hard feelings towards that whole situation,” the ex-Clippers forward shared. “But it was just crazy. Another crazy thing was like, ‘how did I end up the bad guy in this situation?'”

The Clippers were hardly considered a threat in the NBA for a long time, but that changed in the 2010s with the arrival of Griffin.

He was drafted first overall in 2009. However, he missed the 2009-10 season, his supposed rookie year, due to a stress fracture of the left kneecap. When he finally suited up for the 2010-11 season, he showed that his arrival was worth the wait.

During his first season, he created a highlight reel of explosive athleticism and emphatic finishing. He made the All-Star team, becoming the first rookie to do so since Yao Ming in 2003, and won Rookie of the Year. More importantly, he gave the Clippers hope for a better future.

To keep him, the front office put together a show. They reportedly promised him his jersey would eventually be in the rafters and that he would be a Clipper for life. Those promises were shattered in January 2018, when he was traded to Detroit.

During his Clippers stint, Griffin was named to five All-Star teams and four All-NBA teams. He ranks second all-time in franchise points with 10,863 and is widely regarded as a franchise legend.