A 6-foot-9 center for Shelby High School, Paul Griffin led the Tigers to state Class C basketball crowns in 1971 and 1972. An All-State selection as a senior, Griffin averaged 26.9 points and 25 rebounds per game in his final year of prep play. After graduation, he enrolled at Western Michigan University.
The only WMU men’s basketball player to finish with over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in his four-year career with the Broncos, Griffin led Western to a 25-3 record and a No. 10 national ranking in 1976. His career marks have stood the test of time at Western. Today, he ranks first with 1,008 rebounds, second with a .567 in field goal accuracy, fourth in assists with 158 and 15th in scoring with 1,078 points. Drafted by both the NBA’s New Orleans Jazz and the San Antonio Spurs of the ABA, Griffin made his mark as a role player in the professional ranks. Signed by the Jazz, Griffin served as the feed-man to sharp shooting Pete Maravich. In 1979, he was traded to San Antonio now of the NBA, where he became a member of the “Bruise Brothers,” the Spurs’ big, physical front line. Noted for his aggressive style of play, Griffin suffered a career-ending knee injury in February 1983. He retired with a 5.1 point average in 480 games, spanning seven seasons.