Jamal Crawford, erstwhile 3-time winner of the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award has called time on his professional basketball career. For more than two decades, the 42 year old was the gold standard for NBA reserves, bringing his playmaking and ball-handling prowess to the fore, as well as zest and leadership to the many teams he played with throughout his career.
“ Goodbye to the game, all the spoils the adrenaline rush.” Thank you basketball, I owe you everything …..✌🏾 pic.twitter.com/PpKYjoqz9p — 🏁 Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) March 21, 2022
How Did It All Begin? The veteran guard started his career with the Chicago Bulls back in the year 2000. The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him with the No. 8 pick, quickly sending him to the Bulls in a draft-day deal. Crawford went on to experience a steady rise over his four seasons in Chicago, which included a final season in 2003-04, averaging 17.3 points with 5.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. The Bulls eventually traded him to the New York Knicks, and over the next five seasons in the Big Apple, he would rise up the league ranks as one of the NBA’s more lethal shot-creators and ball-handlers. It all led to quite the killer bench role for Crawford in Atlanta and Los Angeles, where he accumulated three Sixth Man of the Year Awards.
Jamal Crawford: — 2nd all time in points off the bench — 2nd player ever with 3x 6MOY — 1 of 8 players ever with 20 seasons pic.twitter.com/vEXPfo8nSD — StatMuse (@statmuse) March 21, 2022
What Made Jamal Tick? When it comes to thinking about some of the most creative and artistic players to ever touch a basketball, Crawford’s name simply has to sit among the best. He was an expert improviser who dazzled with his ball-handling skills and shot-making ability. Few players in history epitomize the meaning of “sparkplug scorer” more than Crawford. He had a knack for the highlight play and offensive explosion.
Jamal Crawford has one of the greatest & most filthy handles in NBA history 👀 HBD 3 x 6th Man @JCrossoverpic.twitter.com/TavXBkjqLk — Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) March 20, 2022
When Last Did He Hoop? He last played with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2019-20 season, but he suffered an injury after only one game with the team. In his last game with Phoenix Suns during the 2018-19 season, he scored 51 points to become the oldest player in NBA history to reach that mark in a single game. In addition, Crawford is revered as one of the best teammates of his generation. In 2018, he won the NBA’s Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award, and that reputation helped him find work far beyond what is considered the expiration date for most players.
◽️3x Sixth Man of the Year ◽️20,479 points (including postseason) ◽️20 seasons Jamal Crawford has announced his retirement from the NBA. 📸 @JCrossover pic.twitter.com/gK4Fx4mr3x — The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) March 21, 2022