The Prince of Crossovers Has Retired
Thanks for all the fun times, Jamal Crawford!
Jamal Crawford, the Prince of Crossovers, has retired from playing basketball.
And to get it over with now so we can focus on the important stuff, the reason why Crawford is the prince (to me anyway) is because Allen Iverson is the king.
Okay? We good on that?
Okay, cool.
Crawford was one of the most entertaining players to watch in the NBA.
He broke ankles for 20 seasons and did so for multiple teams. He spent time in Chicago, New York, Golden State, Atlanta, Portland, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Phoenix, and Brooklyn.
And though he was impactful on all of the teams he played for, he made the most noise when he was with the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers as he was voted the Sixth Man of the Year three times between 2010 and 2016.
Two of my fondest memories of him were when:
He did this “shake and bake” finish to his former teammate, Kirk Hinrich:
And when he did this NBA Street-type oop with Blake Griffin:
In addition to being the Prince of Crossovers, he was also a master of the 4-point play.
The 4-point play, if you don’t know, is when a player gets fouled while shooting (and making) a 3-pointer.
Crawford did it so often that it was recognized as one of his special moves.
I’m not exactly sure why he got fouled so often while he shot the 3-pointer. Some of the times it was because he deceived defenders with his handles.
Other times, it was a result of bad defence.
And other times, he just gets the call (this must be a perk of being a prince).
But regardless of the reason, he made the shot almost every single time because of his great stability and shooting form.
Aside from Crawford’s legendary game, he was also a really good dude.
In 2018, he received the Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, an award that rewards teammates who exemplify "selfless play and commitment and dedication to his team."
Final Thoughts
Crawford was one of the most fun players to watch.
It’s sad to see him retire from the game, but at least we still got highlights to reminisce over.
Anyway, thanks for all the entertainment and excitement J. Crossover!
What is your favourite memory of Jamal Crawford?
