Kate Upton partied with LA Clippers star Blake Griffin Wednesday night, generating buzz they’re dating — but sources tell Page Six that Upton’s actually still smitten with “Dancing With the Stars” hoofer Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
The Sports Illustrated and Vogue model was seen cozying up to Griffin at Lower East Side hot spot Beauty & Essex before the pair later danced at the Box and Avenue with friends till early yesterday morning.
Upton and a pal started their night at Nobu in Tribeca, spies said, before meeting Griffin and his crew. “Blake called Kate and invited her to come by [Beauty & Essex],” a source told us.
After dinner, sources say the group headed to the Box, where Upton and Griffin sat close during a burlesque performance. “Kate was whispering in Blake’s ear as they were watching the show,” an onlooker told us. The pulchritudinous pair also danced together.
Upton, Griffin and their group then headed to Avenue, where they were “dancing up a storm” until the wee hours.
But while Upton and Griffin looked cozy during their night out, sources close to the model tell us Upton is “just friends” with the NBA star and is instead dating Chmerkovskiy.
The “DWTS” vet and eligible Upton were spotted looking “very canoodly” at dinner at Upper East Side Italian restaurant Scalinatella for Upton’s 21st birthday on June 10.
While Upton was out with Griffin, Chmerkovskiy, 33, was in Hollywood for a TV appearance. But he’ll be in New York next month to co-star in a revival of Broadway’s “Forever Tango” that will co-star his former fiancée and “DWTS” dancer Karina Smirnoff.
Before meeting with Griffin on Wednesday, Upton was scheduled to appear at a promotional party for Solstice Sunglasses, but was a no-show because of a conflicting shooting schedule for her Cameron Diaz movie, “The Other Woman,” currently filming in town.
Reps for Upton, Chmerkovskiy and Griffin didn’t comment.