Blake Griffin's Shrink Breached Trust With Accidental Voicemail

Sometimes the person you’re supposed to confide in becomes the biggest threat to your privacy.

Hall of Famer Blake Griffin recently opened up on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast about a deeply uncomfortable encounter with a sports psychologist during his time with the Los Angeles Clippers. What was meant to be a confidential session turned into a textbook violation of professional ethics—and it happened in the most awkward way possible.

Here’s what went down: The psychologist came over to Griffin’s place after practice, and they had what Griffin believed was a private conversation. But the moment he stepped away for a shower, his trust was shattered. When Blake checked his phone afterward, he found a missed call and voicemail—except this message wasn’t meant for him. The psychologist had accidentally dialed Blake instead of his coach, leaving a detailed recap of their supposedly confidential chat. Blake was essentially a bystander listening to his own therapy notes being reported up the chain of command.

The breach is particularly stinging because the entire foundation of sports psychology—or any therapeutic relationship—rests on confidentiality. Athletes are asked to be vulnerable about mental blocks, personal struggles, and psychological hurdles because they’re promised discretion. That trust, once broken, doesn’t come back. Griffin made a swift decision: he was done with sports psychologists right then and there.

What’s interesting is that this incident, rather than derailing his career, seemed almost inconsequential to his trajectory. Griffin’s playing career flourished after this encounter, suggesting that whatever mental edge a professional counselor might’ve provided, he found elsewhere—or simply didn’t need in the first place. That said, the larger takeaway here isn’t about Griffin’s resilience; it’s about how easily professional boundaries can crumble with one careless phone call. For athletes considering therapy or mental health support, his story serves as a cautionary reminder: credentials don’t guarantee discretion, and a voicemail can undo everything.