Oklahoma all-America forward Blake Griffin was the No. 1 overall pick Thursday by the LA Clippers at the NBA Draft in New York.

The 6-foot-10 inch Griffin left the Big Twelve Conference school after averaging 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds in 35 games in his junior season.

He set a school record with 25 double-doubles, had a team-high 41 blocked shots, finished third with 80 assists and shot 65.4 percent from the field, mostly on a variety of dunks.

"I don't worry about the past, just look forward," he said during a television interview when asked about his new team's checkered past.

Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet went second to the Memphis Grizzlies, Arizona State guard James Harden third to the Oklahoma City Thunder and guard Tyreke Evans of Memphis fourth to the Sacramento Kings.

Evans is the second straight Memphis player to be drafted in the first round following guard Derrick Rose to the Chicago Bulls in 2008.