 Crawford in 2023 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1980-03-20)March 20, 1980 (age 45) Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Rainier Beach (Seattle, Washington) |
| College | Michigan (1999–2000) |
| NBA draft | 2000: 1st round, 8th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Playing career | 2000–2020 |
| Position | Shooting guard |
| Number | 1, 11, 6 |
| Career history | |
| 2000–2004 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2004–2008 | New York Knicks |
| 2008–2009 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2009–2011 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2011–2012 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2012–2017 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2017–2018 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2018–2019 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2020 | Brooklyn Nets |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 19,419 (14.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,948 (2.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 4,541 (3.4 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Aaron Jamal Crawford (born March 20, 1980) is an American former professionalbasketball player who played in theNational Basketball Association (NBA) from 2000 to 2020. Nicknamed "J-Crossover", he is regarded as one of the best ball handlers in NBA history.[1] Also regarded as one of the best sixth men in league's history, Crawford was namedNBA Sixth Man of the Year three times, a record he shares withLou Williams.[2]
Among other distinctions, Crawford was once the NBA’s all-time leader in careerfour-point plays.[3] On April 9, 2019, he became not only the oldest player to score 50+ points in an NBA game, but also the first player to have 50-point outings with four franchises.[4] The 51-point tally also reached the most points ever scored by areserve.[4] In NBA history, Crawford ranks 29th with four 50+ point games accrued (tied with 9 others, includingGeorge Mikan andLarry Bird)[5] and 12th all-time in careerthree-point field goals made (2,221).[6] Crawford is the second player in NBA history to have scored 10,000+ career points off the bench.[7] In 2021, he began providing commentary onNBA League Pass,[8]The NBA on TNT until 2024, and on select games ofMSG Network's coverage of theNew York Knicks starting in 2024.
Growing up inSouth Seattle, Crawford played forRainier Beach High, a school that has produced a number of other NBA and college players such asDoug Christie,Nate Robinson,Terrence Williams,Kevin Porter Jr., andDejounte Murray. Jamal led the Vikings to capture the 1998Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) State Championship. In 2001, Rainier Beach retired his number 23 jersey to commemorate his impact;[9] and in 2018, it inducted him into its Hall of Fame to honor his legacy.[10]
Having earned ascholarship to theUniversity of Michigan, Crawford committed to play college basketball with theWolverines under coachBrian Ellerbe. At the start of the1999–00 season, however, he incurred a six-game suspension from theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA);[11] it retroactively ruled that his high school living arrangement had breached its bylaws onamateurism.[note 1] The controversial ruling was protested by the university, although to no avail. After the suspension, Crawford joined thestarting lineup and went on to average 16.6 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.8 rebounds on the season. Following his freshman campaign, he declared for the2000 NBA draft.[12]
Crawford was selected 8th overall in the 2000 NBA draft by theCleveland Cavaliers but was then traded to theChicago Bulls in a draft-day deal that included the rights toChris Mihm.[13] In his first year as a Bull, in2000–01, Crawford struggled with his shot, converting only 35.2 percentfrom the field. Even so, therookie was able to score in double-digits 10 times. He averaged 4.6 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across 61 games (8 starting).[7]
In his second NBA season,2001–02, injury limited Crawford to 23 games (6 starting). Nevertheless, he improved across nearly all statistical categories by averaging 9.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists as well as by converting 44.8 percent of his attempts frombehind the arc.[7]
In his third campaign with the Bulls,2002–03, Crawford emerged as a key component of coachBill Cartwright's offense.[14] His per-game averages improved further to 10.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1 steal across 80 games (31 starting).[7] The Bulls would miss theplayoffs with a 30–52 record.[15]
His fourth NBA season,2003–04, would be his last in Chicago. Promoted to startingshooting guard, Crawford averaged 17.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest.[7] On April 11, 2004, he came away with 50 points against theToronto Raptors in his third to last game as a Bull.[16] The Bulls won in overtime, 114–108, but not before Crawford made 6 three-pointers and recorded 24 points in the fourth quarter alone. Before the start of the2004–05 season, he was traded, along withJerome Williams, to theNew York Knicks in exchange forDikembe Mutombo,Othella Harrington,Frank Williams, andCezary Trybanski.[17]
Crawford joined another young and rebuilding team in theNew York Knicks. In his first year with the franchise, the2004–05 season, he played 70 games (67 starting) and averaged 17.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest.[7] His scoring exceeded 20 points in many games, to include a notable win over theCharlotte Bobcats on December 4 where he had 41 points on 17-of-25 shooting.[18] The Knicks would fall short of the playoffs.[19]
In his second year in New York City, the2005–06 season, he took a reducedsixth man role under head coachLarry Brown. Though it took some time, Crawford ended up embracing the new role.[20] He average 14.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists across 79 games (27 starting).[7] The Knicks, with a record of 23–59, fell short of the playoffs.[21]
Deciding to go in a new direction in2006–07, the Knicks replaced Larry Brown withIsiah Thomas as head coach, the team's fourth replacement of that position in three years.[22] Crawford was limited to 59 games (36 starting) due to anACL injury;[23] but he averaged 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists on the season.[24]
In2007–08, he was put back in the starting lineup for all 80 games that he played. He averaged 20.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 5 assists.[25] Crawford provided the 23–59 Knicks with one of the few bright spots on January 26, 2007: He scored a career-high 52 points, with 16 of his shots being made consecutively and 8 of his three-pointers being one short of the franchise record set in 2002 byLatrell Sprewell.[26]
In2008–09, he would play only 11 games for the Knicks before being dealt to theGolden State Warriors in a trade forAl Harrington.[27]
Crawford proved an ideal fit in therun-and-gun offense of coachDon Nelson due to his three-point shooting and ball-handling ability as well as court-vision.[28] He played in 54 games for the Warriors in2008–09 and started in each one. Crawford averaged nearly 20 points per contest as well as 4.4 assists and 1.5 rebounds.[7] During a 110–103 victory over theCharlotte Bobcats on December 20, 2008, Crawford scored 50 points; thus he became the fourth player in NBA history—after onlyWilt Chamberlain,Bernard King, andMoses Malone—to score 50+ points with three teams.[29] At the end of the season, theAtlanta Hawks acquired Crawford in a trade for guardsAcie Law andSpeedy Claxton.[30]
Crawford joined theAtlanta Hawks for their2009–10 season. On January 15, he made a three-point shot at the buzzer to clinch a 102–101 victory over thePhoenix Suns.[31] In a win over theLos Angeles Clippers on February 3, 2010, Crawford set an all-time NBA record for most career four-point plays, surpassingReggie Miller.[32] Backing up All-Star guardJoe Johnson andMike Bibby, he averaged 18 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2 assists off the bench. Crawford was a leading candidate for theNBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and won the award in 2010. The Hawks, led byJoe Johnson,Josh Smith,Al Horford,Mike Bibby, as well as by Crawford, qualified for the playoffs; this clinching was to be his first trip to the playoffs.[33] The Hawks would advance past theMilwaukee Bucks in seven games. Crawford led all scorers in the decisive game seven with 22 points. The team was subsequently swept by theOrlando Magic with a primeDwight Howard at its helm.[34]
In the2010–11 season, the Hawks fired coachMike Woodson to bring onLarry Drew.[35] Though Crawford was coming off the bench and saw his averages decline from 2009–10, he had a solid season of averaging 14.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.[7] He was yet again in consideration for theSixth Man of the Year Award. Having made it to the playoffs as the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference, the Hawks beat theOrlando Magic in a close series, but not before Crawford made the game-clinching three-pointer with six seconds left in Game 3.[36] Thus the Hawks advanced to the conference semifinals, though they were then eliminated by theChicago Bulls in six games.[37]
Crawford signed with thePortland Trail Blazers on December 15, 2011.[38] He averaged nearly 14 points in 60 games whileleading the league in free throw percentage with a career-high 92.7 percent in the lockout-shortened season.[7]
On July 11, 2012, Crawford signed with theLos Angeles Clippers.[39]
In the 2012–13 season, Crawford posted 16.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 29.3 minutes in the 76 games he played.[7] He also finished 2nd place in voting for the 2013NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, edged out byJ. R. Smith.[40] In the opening round of the playoffs, the Clippers were defeated by theMemphis Grizzlies in six games. During the playoffs that year, he averaged 10.8 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.[7]
In the 2013–14 season, Crawford led the league's reserve players in scoring with 18.6 points per contest to go along with 3.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds. He came off the bench in 45 of 69 games he played in.[7]
On May 8, 2014, Crawford won the 2014NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, his second time of winning the honor. Crawford also helped the Clippers finish with their best record in franchise history (57–25).[41]
On December 8, 2014, during the last quarter of a game against thePhoenix Suns that the Clippers clinched 121–120 in overtime, Crawford was called for a loose ball foul after getting tangled with Suns' guardEric Bledsoe at midcourt. Upon saying something to referee Mark Lindsay, Crawford received a technical, along with his first-ever ejection in his 976-game career.[42]
During a win over the Phoenix Suns on November 2, 2015, Crawford eclipsed 16,000 points.[43] On November 14, he scored a game-high 37 points in a 101–96 victory over theDetroit Pistons.[44] On January 10, 2016, he recorded his 46th four-point play of his career in a 114–111 overtime win over theNew Orleans Pelicans.[45] On April 8, 2016, he made a three-pointer with 0.2 seconds left and finished with 30 points in the Clippers' 102–99 overtime victory over theUtah Jazz.[46] On April 19, he was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year for the third time in his career. At 36 years old, he broke his own record, set in 2014, as the oldest winner of the award.[47]
Crawford re-signed with the Clippers on July 8, 2016.[48] By making two of four three-pointers against theNew Orleans Pelicans on December 2, 2016, Crawford (1,962) passedVince Carter (1,961) for No. 6 on the NBA's all-time list for made three-pointers.[49] With a three-pointer at the 2:06 mark of the second quarter in the Clippers' 118–109 loss to theToronto Raptors on February 6, 2017, Crawford became the sixth NBA player to reach 2,000 made three-pointers. He joinedRay Allen,Reggie Miller,Jason Terry,Vince Carter andPaul Pierce in the 2000 club.[50] During the game, he also passedEddie Johnson for No. 2 in career NBA bench scoring. His tally of 9,572 bench points trails onlyDell Curry's 11,147.[50] He also surpassedMagic Johnson for 74th in career points scored.[51] On February 11 against Charlotte, he scored 22 points while shooting 5-of-8 on three-pointers. Crawford (2,009) subsequently passed Vince Carter (2,006) for fifth-most three-pointers made in NBA history.[52]
On July 6, 2017, the Clippers traded Crawford and a 2018 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a salary dump that cleared the way to acquireDanilo Gallinari from theDenver Nuggets by asign-and-trade deal.[53] The Hawks waived Crawford the following day.[54]
On July 19, 2017, Crawford signed with theMinnesota Timberwolves.[55] Debuting for the Timberwolves during their season-opener on October 18, 2017, Crawford scored 10 points in a 107–99 loss to theSan Antonio Spurs.[56] Two days later, he scored all 17 of his points in the fourth quarter and made a 3-pointer with 27.5 seconds left to help the Timberwolves hold off theUtah Jazz 100–97 in their home-opener.[57] During a 108–107 victory over thePortland Trail Blazers on December 18, 2017, Crawford made a season-high 23 points in only 23 minutes, with 16 of them scored in the fourth quarter.[58] On March 30, 2018, he had a 24-point effort in a 93–92 win over theDallas Mavericks.[59] In June 2018, Crawford won theTwyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.[60]
Crawford signed with thePhoenix Suns on October 17, 2018.[61] During a 128–110 victory over theNew York Knicks on December 17, Crawford dished out a career-high 14 assists.[62] On January 6, 2019, in a 119–113 loss to theCharlotte Hornets, he finished with 16 points to joinDell Curry as the only NBA players to record 11,000+ career points as a reserve.[63] Per 36 minutes in the 2018–19 season, Crawford averaged 15.1 points to go along with a career-high of 6.8 assists.[64] In league history, onlyJohn Stockton has averaged more assists per 36 minutes in their 19th or later season.[4]
On April 9, 2019, in a 120–109 season finale loss to theDallas Mavericks, which would beDirk Nowitzki's last home game, Crawford made NBA history by recording 51 points in his fourth 50-point game.[65] At 39 years old and 20 days, he thus broke two NBA records: the oldest player to tally 50+ points—held byMichael Jordan at 38 years and 315 days since December 29, 2001—as well as the most points scored by a player not in the starting lineup, held byNick Anderson with 50 points since April 23, 1993.[4] During the game, Crawford shot 18-of-30 (60%) from the field, 7-of-13 (53.8%) from three-point range, and 8-of-9 (88.9%) from the free-throw line. He also had 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block coming off the bench. Down by as much as 31 in the third quarter, he rallied Phoenix back into the game, scoring 12 points in succession and bringing the score to 107–103 with 3:39 minutes left in the game. By scoring 28 and 27 points in the previous two games, Crawford joinedKobe Bryant as the only players in league history to record three consecutive 25+ point games in their 19th season or later.[4] He also became the only player in NBA history to record 50 points in a game with four different teams.[66]
On July 9, 2020, theBrooklyn Nets announced that they had signed Crawford as a substitute player for the remainder of the2019–20 season.[67] Four Nets players opted out of the NBA reboot inOrlando due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, which led to Crawford's signing.[68] He made his team debut on August 4, 2020, against theMilwaukee Bucks, becoming the oldest active player in the NBA at the time at 40 years and 137 days old, as well as the oldest Nets player to ever appear in a game. He also became the eighth player in NBA history to appear in a game in20 different seasons, joiningVince Carter,Kevin Garnett,Dirk Nowitzki,Robert Parish,Kevin Willis,Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,Kobe Bryant, andLeBron James.[69] He recorded five points and three assists in five minutes before leaving the game with a left hamstring injury.[69] It was his only appearance for the Nets in their eight regular-season games and he did not play in their four playoff games.[70]
His one appearance for the Nets was ultimately his final NBA game, as Crawford did not play for any team during the 2020–21 or 2021–22 seasons, as he officially announced his retirement from the league on March 21, 2022.[71]
Crawford started doing game broadcasts forNBA League Pass alongsideQuentin Richardson in November 2021.[8] He was a regular color analyst forThe NBA on TNT starting in the 2022-23 season, also becoming a fixture on the Tuesday studio team before leaving both positions after the conclusion of The NBA on TNT's coverage of the 2023–24 season.[72] Crawford has signed withMSG Network's coverage of the New York Knicks starting with the 2024–25 NBA season to fill-in for about ten games as backup color analyst on television.[72] Crawford is set to join theNBA on NBC as a lead game analyst beginning in the 2025–26 NBA season.[73]
Crawford married his long-time girlfriend Tori Lucas on August 23, 2014. Among those to attend his wedding were Clippers teammatesBlake Griffin,Matt Barnes,Chris Paul,DeAndre Jordan, andSpencer Hawes; also in attendance were NBA playersNate Robinson, a fellow Seattleite, andIsaiah Thomas, likewise from thePuget Sound area.[74]
A staple of the Seattle basketball community, Crawford has organized secret workouts around the city, recruiting a revolving cast of elite-level participants that include the likes ofZach LaVine andKyrie Irving.[75] Part of his legacy has been as a benefactor to his hometown. Among other charitable community activities, Crawford provides a platform for local players aspiring to progress from amateur status to professional through "The Crawsover" league. ThisPro–am summer-league atSeattle Pacific University is among the most prestigious in the country, yet admission is free.[76] Pros such as NBA All-Stars Chris Paul andKevin Durant have participated in the past.[77]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | Chicago | 61 | 8 | 17.2 | .352 | .350 | .794 | 1.5 | 2.3 | .7 | .2 | 4.6 |
| 2001–02 | Chicago | 23 | 6 | 20.9 | .476 | .448 | .769 | 1.5 | 2.4 | .8 | .2 | 9.3 |
| 2002–03 | Chicago | 80 | 31 | 24.9 | .413 | .355 | .806 | 2.3 | 4.2 | 1.0 | .3 | 10.7 |
| 2003–04 | Chicago | 80 | 73 | 35.1 | .386 | .317 | .833 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 1.4 | .4 | 17.3 |
| 2004–05 | New York | 70 | 67 | 38.4 | .398 | .361 | .843 | 2.9 | 4.3 | 1.3 | .3 | 17.7 |
| 2005–06 | New York | 79 | 27 | 32.3 | .416 | .345 | .826 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 1.1 | .2 | 14.3 |
| 2006–07 | New York | 59 | 36 | 37.3 | .400 | .320 | .838 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 1.0 | .1 | 17.6 |
| 2007–08 | New York | 80 | 80 | 39.9 | .410 | .356 | .864 | 2.6 | 5.0 | 1.0 | .2 | 20.6 |
| 2008–09 | New York | 11 | 11 | 35.6 | .432 | .455 | .761 | 1.5 | 4.4 | .8 | .0 | 19.6 |
| Golden State | 54 | 54 | 38.6 | .406 | .338 | .889 | 3.3 | 4.4 | .9 | .2 | 19.7 | |
| 2009–10 | Atlanta | 79 | 0 | 31.1 | .449 | .382 | .857 | 2.5 | 3.0 | .8 | .2 | 18.0 |
| 2010–11 | Atlanta | 76 | 0 | 31.1 | .421 | .341 | .854 | 1.7 | 3.2 | .8 | .2 | 14.2 |
| 2011–12 | Portland | 60 | 6 | 26.9 | .384 | .308 | .927* | 2.0 | 3.2 | .9 | .2 | 13.9 |
| 2012–13 | L.A. Clippers | 76 | 0 | 29.3 | .438 | .376 | .871 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 1.0 | .2 | 16.5 |
| 2013–14 | L.A. Clippers | 69 | 24 | 30.3 | .416 | .361 | .866 | 2.3 | 3.2 | .9 | .2 | 18.6 |
| 2014–15 | L.A. Clippers | 64 | 4 | 26.6 | .396 | .327 | .901 | 1.9 | 2.5 | .9 | .2 | 15.8 |
| 2015–16 | L.A. Clippers | 79 | 5 | 26.9 | .404 | .340 | .904 | 1.8 | 2.3 | .7 | .2 | 14.2 |
| 2016–17 | L.A. Clippers | 82* | 1 | 26.3 | .413 | .360 | .857 | 1.6 | 2.6 | .7 | .2 | 12.3 |
| 2017–18 | Minnesota | 80 | 0 | 20.7 | .415 | .331 | .903 | 1.2 | 2.3 | .5 | .1 | 10.3 |
| 2018–19 | Phoenix | 64 | 0 | 18.9 | .397 | .332 | .845 | 1.3 | 3.6 | .5 | .2 | 7.9 |
| 2019–20 | Brooklyn | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | .500 | .500 | .000 | 0.0 | 3.0 | .0 | .0 | 5.0 |
| Career | 1,327 | 433 | 29.4 | .410 | .348 | .862 | 2.2 | 3.4 | .9 | .2 | 14.6 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Atlanta | 11 | 0 | 31.9 | .364 | .360 | .845 | 2.7 | 2.7 | .8 | .1 | 16.3 |
| 2011 | Atlanta | 12 | 0 | 29.8 | .394 | .350 | .824 | 1.3 | 2.5 | .8 | .3 | 15.4 |
| 2013 | L.A. Clippers | 6 | 0 | 26.8 | .387 | .273 | 1.000 | 2.0 | 1.7 | .5 | .2 | 10.8 |
| 2014 | L.A. Clippers | 13 | 0 | 24.1 | .398 | .342 | .886 | 1.5 | 2.0 | .9 | .2 | 15.5 |
| 2015 | L.A. Clippers | 14 | 0 | 27.1 | .360 | .243 | .867 | 2.1 | 1.9 | .9 | .2 | 12.7 |
| 2016 | L.A. Clippers | 6 | 1 | 33.2 | .379 | .190 | .880 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.7 | .0 | 17.3 |
| 2017 | L.A. Clippers | 7 | 0 | 28.0 | .422 | .240 | 1.000 | 1.3 | 1.9 | .6 | .1 | 12.6 |
| 2018 | Minnesota | 5 | 0 | 24.6 | .447 | .412 | .769 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 1.0 | .0 | 11.8 |
| Career | 74 | 1 | 28.1 | .386 | .307 | .865 | 1.9 | 2.2 | .9 | .2 | 14.3 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–00 | Michigan | 17 | 15 | 33.9 | .412 | .327 | .784 | 2.8 | 4.5 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 16.6 |
This list will not be complete without Jamal Crawford.
This list will not be complete without Jamal Crawford.
Jamal Crawford converted the 54th four-point play of his career in the second quarter, extending his NBA record in the category.
Crawford, with a four-point play of his own in the second quarter, became the NBA's career leader in that category with 54 [sic], which doesn't include five in the playoffs.
I don't look at him as a sub," Brown said of Crawford. "I want him to get major minutes. The thing that I like about him coming off the bench, I could plug him in for Steph, Nate, or sometimes go small [with three guards]. He seems to be enjoying the role. If you're really being fair and he said he wanted to start, I wouldn't have a problem with that either.
Ayton said the Suns gave the game ball to Crawford, whose previous best was 12 assists. Crawford is far better known as a scorer... But he noted that he was a point guard in high school, in college, and the early part of his NBA career before he became a three-time winner of the Sixth Man Award. 'I think especially for me, I'm known as such a scorer, and I can score—like, I really can score—but sometimes the defense thinks that, too, and they fall asleep and I see guys," Crawford said.
The Crawsover is on par with other notable leagues around the country including the Goodman League in Washington D.C., Dyckman Park in Manhattan and the San Francisco Pro-Am.
