Here at Savage Kia, we’re starting to feel the madness burn. Last night was Selection Sunday, meaning that 68 men’s and women’s teams from the world of college basketball officially punched their ticket into this season’s big tournament.
So while we have hoops on the mind, we thought we’d take this Monday to flash back to one of the more impressive feats in the history of slam dunking a basketball: former Los Angeles Clippers star and athletic demon dunking over a full-size Kia.
Setting the Stage
The year was 2011. Blake Griffin was in the midst of his rookie season for the Clippers. Until a series of injuries throughout his career limited his athleticism (he went through a two year period from 2019-2021 where he didn’t dunk once), he was primarily known for one thing: dunking basketballs very hard. Thus, he was a no-brainer for 2011’s dunk contest, which also happened to be in L.A.
But no one knew if this violent style of dunking would translate to dunking… while jumping over a car. Doubts were assuaged when teammate Baron Davis – poking out of the Kia’s sunroof in the bit’s funniest visual gag– connected with Griffin on a perfect lob pass, which Griffin emphatically threw down over the hood of a 2011 Kia Optima.
Amusingly, despite the spectacle of the moment – the Kia being brought onto the court, a full choir along for the ride – there’s so little buildup to Griffin’s actual dunk that the broadcast almost missed the attempt. (He’d soon learn there’s nothing wrong with some occasional showmanship.) But the moment is preserved through replays, parodies, and of course the reaction of Spike Lee and all else assembled.
Do We Know Where That Kia Optima Is Today?
We actually do! Thanks to an investigative report from The Ringer in 2021, commemorating its tenth anniversary, they discovered that Oklahoma resident Michael Longa purchased the car in 2015.
Griffin’s signature still emblazons the steering wheel, and Longa drives it every day. As of 2021, the car had accrued 89,000 miles. Though Longa claimed the Kia could fetch a high value – seeing as how it’s the one that Blake Griffin dunked over – but he’s content if he never learns the true price.
Put Yourself in a Kia Today
Of course, today, the Optima lives on under the K5 moniker (its original South Korean name). And it’s exciting times at Kia, as they’re set to reveal the new K4 later this week at the New York International Auto Show. As for Kia’s relationship with the NBA, things have only gotten stronger with the Orlando Magic changing the name of their arena to the Kia Center late last year.
You can find the K5 on our lot here at Savage Kia, along with hundreds of new and certified pre-owned vehicles. With Kia, you’ll find reliable, high-performance vehicles – regardless of whether a famous athlete has dunked over them.
Connect with us
Recent Blog Entries
Categories
Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.