Jamal Crawford has had a terrific career. No, the 6ft 5” guard never won any major accolades like the MVP and the Championship, and nor was he selected to any All-Star and All-NBA Teams. However, JC is often regarded as one of the best off-the-bench players. Kevin Durant, for one, believes that the three-time Sixth Man of the Year’s career should be celebrated by enshrining him in the Hall Of Fame.
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Following the recent Phoenix Suns-Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Durant was asked to comment on Jamal Crawford. The Suns’ forward was also asked his opinions regarding the inclusion of Crawford in the prestigious Hall-Of-Fame. While answering so, the Slim Reaper began his statement by appreciating JC as a mentor.
“One of those guys that took me under his wings. When I was a rookie in Seattle, just always giving me words of encouragement. Always texting me after tough games and letting me know.”
Crawford played in the NBA for two decades, and his being a knowledgeable player went unrecognized. KD shed light on Crawford being a “true vet” and went on to speak about the impact that the latter has had on the game. Finally, the 2014 MVP revealed that he would wish to see JC be picked as one of the Hall-of-Fame inductees.
“Just a true vet, somebody that I think deserves to be in the Hall-of-Fame. With the impact on the sport of basketball that he’s shown over… He carved out a lane for himself as a sixth man and I think that deserves to be honored in the Hall-Of-Fame,” KD said.
As soon as Nick Hamilton uploaded the same clip on X (formerly Twitter), Crawford had an immediate reaction. Being humbled that “one of his favorites” showered him with love, Crawford wrote:
“Wow! From one of my favorites ever. Humbled”
The love and respect between these two stars is as clear as daylight.
Kevin Durant picked Jamal Crawford on his Dream 5-on-5 pickup matchup
Jamal Crawford wasn’t lucky enough to win any major accolades. However, the combo guard did possess one of the smoothest handles. With the virtue of being shifty and a creative playmaker, Crawford was must-see TV. Kevin Durant even appreciated JC’s visually appealing style of play. He did so by naming JC as one of the players on his Dream 5-on-5 pickup game matchup.
Almost a year ago, during an appearance on NBA TV, the two-time NBA Champion listed 10 players for this hypothetical contest. After picking himself alongside Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett, Steph Curry, and Allen Iverson, Durant also gave Crawford a nod.
Jamal Crawford suited up for 1,327 regular season games. In these contests, the shifty star recorded 14.6 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game. While inculcating a streetball style of play in the NBA, Crawford also deserves credit for redefining the sixth-man position.
