Tag: Jamal Crawford

JR Smith claims he, Jamal Crawford, Nick Young, Boston Celtics alums Isaiah Thomas, Joe Johnson blackballed by NBA

The former Lakers and Cavs champ believes a number of veterans are being blackballed by the league.

Former NBAer JR Smith recently claimed he, Jamal Crawford, and former Boston Celtics alumni Isaiah Thomas and Joe Johnson were “blackballed” from the NBA in a recent interview with Complex’s Pierce Simpson. “Anybody can sit here and tell you that that’s a fact,” suggested Smith.

“You’ve got those 30 teams, or the top three people on each of those 30 teams, and exclude them. Give me the fourth through 15th man, just the fourth through the 15th,” the two-time NBA champion continued. “Name one of them that’s better than me. I’m sitting here like, ‘Bro, I’ve worked out with these dudes.'”

“I’ve watched their GM come up to me and ask me, ‘Yo, why aren’t you playing?'” he added. “You know why I’m not playing.”

“I feel like it’s a whole genre that happened to the Joe Johnsons who obviously still got game, still can play,” Smith opined. “Jamal Crawford still got game, still can play. Nick Young, still got game, still can play. Isaiah Thomas, still got game, still can play.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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CrawsOver Pro-Am highlights for Boston Celtics’ star swingman Jayson Tatum

The St. Louis native was among the primary draws and scorers for the game.

While the level of defensive intensity was somewhere between “All-Star Game” and “Las Vegas Summer League,” Boston Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum was joined by LeBron James, Paolo Banchero, Isaiah Thomas, Chet Holmgren, Dejounte Murray, Aaron Gordon and Tari Eason for a star-studded game at the CrawsOver Pro-Am.

Hosted by NBA vet Jamal Crawford (for whom the event is named), the St. Louis native was among the primary draws and scorers, putting up 20 points on 7-of-12 attempts from the field that included going 6-of-11 from beyond the arc, some very deep shots indeed.

Tatum also scored two assists in the contests, including setting up teammate (and in the NBA, Los Angeles Lakers star) James.

To see the former Duke star’s highlights at the CrawsOver Pro-Am before a slippery court ended the contest early, take a look at the clip embedded above to see the action for yourself courtesy of the Tomasz Kordylewski YouTube channel.

Check out the Celtics Lab podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum, Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James among CrawsOver Pro-Am standouts

Tatum in particular had a series of deep 3-point shots that stood out for the Celtics’ part.

Boston Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum joined Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James among the main draws at Jamal Crawford’s CrawsOver Pro-Am on Saturday evening. The game featured a number of other established NBA stars and rising rookies who put on a show for a packed house before unsafe court conditions (condensation) shut down the event. A Tatum-to-James dunk made the highlights of the event.

“You don’t get a day like this often, but it’s my job to protect everybody’s safety,” offered Crawford via ESPN’s Kevin Pelton. “On the court, I couldn’t risk those guys taking a chance of getting hurt. It’s not worth that.”

“It’s supposed to drive inspiration and give hope and they did that. The job was accomplished,” he added.

Tatum in particular had a series of deep 3-point shots that stood out for the Celtics’ part.

“We tried to provide an experience that we’ve never had before,” suggested Crawford. “I thought overall it was great because I think it’s moments and memories that the kids will never forget.”

Check out the Celtics Lab podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Jamal Crawford explains how he gets NBA stars to The CrawsOver

It’s the only way for Seattle kids to see star NBA players in-person. Jamal Crawford asks them who they want to see and they try to get them. This year, it’s resulted in LeBron James and Jayson Tatum.

The CrawsOver, a basketball Pro-Am league in Seattle run by former NBA guard Jamal Crawford, has reached new heights with stars like LeBron James and Jayson Tatum playing this year.

A rebrand of the Seattle Pro-Am, this event’s popularity had reignited recently and hit the eye of more people last year when Isaiah Thomas dropped 81 points in a game. This season, which opened July 9, has been advertised as the biggest yet.

Crawford appeared on NBA TV to talk about the event. He said that the tournament is special because it’s the only way kids living in Seattle can see their favorite players play.

The event is free for all who attend.

“A lot of kids in this area especially have only seen their favorite players whether it be on TV or on video games,” Crawford said on NBA Today. “To see their favorite players right there in person, to reach out and touch them — and they might have an interaction with you — and if you’re a kid working to get better and to dream about being on that level, that makes your dreams more realistic.”

He said he asks the kids who they want to see and Crawford attempts to draw those stars to the event.

While the games are free, good luck getting in when it involves a star like James. Videos of long lines and tents from Friday night have been tweeted as people wait to get into the arena.

James and Tatum aren’t the only well-known NBA players competing. Dejounte Murray, rookies Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren, and Isaiah Thomas are among others taking part.

The full rosters, found on the CrawsOver website, are littered with other NBA players among the amateur athletes.

All this comes back to one of the big questions always under debate: Should Seattle have a team of its own? With excitement like this for the league and players, the passion is certainly there.

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Chet Holmgren to make another appearance in Jamal Crawford’s Pro-Am League

The game will be streamed on the NBA’s official website.

Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren will make another appearance in former NBA player Jamal Crawford’s Pro-Am League on Saturday.

This time around, it’ll be with other NBA players LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero and Dejounte Murray.

Holmgren previously played in Crawford’s league, which is based in Seattle.

In the slowest days of the year for the NBA in terms of content, the Pro-Am leagues allow NBA players to get some reps in against other NBA talent.

Holmgren was drafted No. 2 in the 2022 NBA draft by the Thunder and is set to start his rookie campaign in his home state of Minnesota against the Timberwolves on Oct. 19.

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Jamal Crawford explains what top pick Paolo Banchero means to Seattle

Crawford recently explained what Banchero means to the city of Seattle after becoming the top pick in the NBA draft.

As a native of Seattle, Washington, Paolo Banchero represents his hometown proudly. Whether it be on the court or off, Banchero shows love to the Pacific Northwest often and they give it right back to him.

He recently returned to the city and is among the players that have participated in the CrawsOver Pro-Am this summer, an annual league started by NBA legend Jamal Crawford. Alongside Chet Holmgren, Banchero put on a show, dropping 50 points.

Banchero is among the growing number of players to rise to the NBA from the state. Though Crawford is retired, the area claims several other current players, including Zach LaVine, Jaden McDaniels, Dejounte Murray and Isaiah Thomas.

When the Orlando Magic selected Banchero first in the NBA draft, the city of Seattle was once again put on the map. He played basketball every step of the way, including high school and AAU, in his hometown before leaving for Duke last season.

By all accounts, the city has embraced its star in the making.

Crawford, speaking with Bryan Kalbrosky of For The Win, said Banchero becoming the top pick will have a lasting impact on the next generation of players in the area.

It means everything to Seattle, to be honest with you. Twenty-five years ago, we were sending more guys to college for football than basketball. So our rise has really started so recently. So we saw someone who played AAU since third grade for Seattle Rotary, which is right in the heart of the city, and stuck with the same program all the way through. Then he was able to become the No. 1 overall pick.

That resonates with adults but it resonates with kids, too. He’s the guy my son is looking up to and the younger generations are looking up to. They’ll be like, ‘That’s Paolo! I remember when he was a freshman in high school.’ They’ve held on to that and to see him go to Duke and play for the legendary Coach K and then be the No. 1 overall pick, and do it from the same streets that we walk and the same gyms we shoot on, is inspiring for that younger generation.

Banchero credited Crawford recently for helping bring him up through various basketball events in Seattle. Crawford got Banchero playing in the pro-am in high school, which, in turn, enabled him to play against bigger competition and improve his skill set.

Crawford also offered Banchero plenty of advice through the years that ultimately helped shape the player and person he is today. Throughout his 20 years in the NBA, Crawford established himself as a great teammate and mentor, and Banchero is another player that learned from him.

The three-time Sixth Man of the Year will continue to give back to the city as much as possible, but it will now be on Banchero and others to continue those efforts.

It is something Banchero will have no problem doing.

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Jamal Crawford: ‘I would’ve played even longer if I knew the stuff I know now’

“I scored 51 points off the bench in my last official game. I was 39 years old.”

Jamal Crawford, a three-time winner of NBA Sixth Man of the Year, played 20 professional seasons before officially announcing his retirement.

During a recent segment on his show, Jalen Rose argued that Crawford deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Rose and former NBA player Matt Barnes both included Crawford as one of the top 5 ball-handlers of all time.

Crawford recently made headlines for his wildly popular Pro-Am league, the CrawsOver. Several notable NBA players, including rookies Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren, showed up to play in Seattle. Atlanta’s Trae Young and Dejounte Murray (who had this ridiculous highlight) also participated.

During a recent conversation with For The Win, Crawford discussed why his Pro-Am league is so important to him.

He also touched on predictions for the future of basketball in Seattle, which NBA players are carrying on his legacy, what he has learned while coaching his son’s AAU team, and why he highly recommends wearing Move Insoles.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Dejounte Murray tried the most disrespectful ‘off-the-heezy’ move during a Pro-Am run in Seattle

I can’t believe he tried this during a game.

One of the offseason’s biggest moves was when the Hawks traded for Dejounte Murray. It immediately made Atlanta a better team.

Murray built some chemistry with his new teammates this past weekend. The All-Star guard, alongside his new teammates Trae Young and John Collins, played in Jamal Crawford’s Pro-Am Basketball League in Seattle. Murray, who is originally from Seattle as well, put on a show for his hometown fans.

The game had plenty of highlights, including Murray connecting with Young for their first basket as teammates. Young also hit Murray with a behind-the-back pass leading to a 3-pointer and connected with the former Spurs star for an alley-oop.

Although there was a possession in which Murray took flight for a transition dunk, the most memorable moment of the game happened when he tried a dribble move you probably haven’t even considered unless you played the NBA Street video game:

Yup… Murray actually tried in “off the heezy” against his defender.

If you don’t know what that means, Murray tried dribbling the ball off of his man’s head before attacking the rack for a basket. It’s equal parts hilarious, ambitious, and disrespectful.

Here is another angle, if you can’t believe it or want to see it again:

It’s also something former NBA player Jason Richardson tried during a game during the old Rookie Challenge (now known as the Rising Stars Challenge) in 2003.

The exact same move nearly caused a fight when streetball legend The Professor tried it during an internal exhibition, but thankfully Murray’s opponent didn’t seem to mind.

Murray finished the game with 39 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. Fans stormed the court after a 126-121 victory. After the game, he encouraged more NBA players to participate in Pro-Am games so kids who can’t afford tickets during the regular season can still see them play for free.

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NBA Twitter reacts to Chet Holmgren’s performance in Pro-Am League

Here are the best tweets from Saturday related to Chet Holmgren’s great game.

Saturday featured the top two picks of the 2022 NBA draft playing in the same game with Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren. Both played in Jamal Crawford’s Pro-Am League in Seattle this weekend.

Holmgren finished the game with 34 points, 13 rebounds, eight blocks and four steals, per ESPN’s Kevin Pelton.

It was nice to see Holmgren play in this game — especially with Banchero, who sat out the Orlando Magic’s sole game against the Thunder this past summer league.

During the slowest part of the NBA calendar, this was a nice little event to watch as both players get ready to start their rookie seasons.

Here are some of the best tweets from Saturday about the game, which was free to stream on the NBA’s official website.

Chet Holmgren to play in Jamal Crawford’s Pro-Am League in Seattle this weekend

Some timely NBA content during the slowest months of the year.

It looks like we’ll finally see the No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup from the most recent draft.

Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero are scheduled to play against each other this Saturday in a matchup at Jamal Crawford’s CrawsOver Pro-Am League in Seattle.

This will be the first time both players will face each other since they were taken in the top two of the 2022 NBA draft.

The Thunder and Orlando Magic played each other during the summer league, but Banchero sat that game out.

It should be a fun watch and should give fans additional content during the slow months of the NBA calendar.

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