After a year at Michigan, Jamal Crawford declared for the NBA Draft where the Chicago Bulls took him ninth overall.
Crawford would not blossom into a superstar, but he is one of the rare men to have competed in 20 NBA seasons, an astounding achievement for any athlete. The sharpshooter began a 16-year streak of at least 10 Points per Game in 2002-03, with half of them exceeding 17, peaking with a 20.6 PPG when he was a Knick in 2007-08. New York traded him to Golden State early in the 2008-09 Season, and that was his last year as a starter, but it would be far from the end of his career, as he would become one of the best bench players in Basketball.
Signing with Atlanta in 2009, Crawford was now coming off the bench, but he excelled in that role. He won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in his first year in ATL, and would win two more as a Clipper (2014 & 2016). Also, a Trail Blazer (2011-12), Crawford’s work ethic and mentorship earned him the NBA Teammate of the Year Award in 2017-18, his lone year with the Timberwolves.
Crawford finished his career with Phoenix and Brooklyn, and retired with a career average of 14.6 Points per Game. He won’t get a look from Springfield, but his career should never be forgotten.
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