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Jamal Crawford honored by his high school alma mater in court rededication

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby: Lawrence Fernandez05/20/25lawandfern
NBA: New Orleans Pelicans at Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns guard Jamal Crawford (11) dribbles against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. (Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

Jamal Crawford is one of the NBA’s most prolific scorers because he doesn’t need many minutes to get his points. Throughout his 21-season career, he made the most of his minutes by getting as many baskets as he can.

It’s a style of play that he embraced since his days at Rainier Beach High School in Washington. His scoring prowess enabled him to lead the Vikings to the 1998 state championship, an achievement that led to his jersey number’s retirement.

This time, Rainier Beach decided to re-dedicate their basketball court in his honor. It comes seven years after he became an inaugural member of their Hall of Fame.

The Jamal Crawford Basketball Court is a component of the Seattle Public School’s $110 million project to enhance their community-focused spaces. While other Rainier Beach alums line Dough Christie, Nate Robinson, and Dejounte Murray made it to the NBA, Crawford is the fitting recipient of having their home floor named after him.

After leaving an indelible legacy to Rainier Beach basketball, Crawford continued his basketball journey with the Michigan Wolverines. He played at Ann Arbor for two years before the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft.

However, the Chicago Bulls acquired him via a draft day trade. The Bulls are just one of Jamal Crawford’s nine teams in over two decades. While he spent most of his career as a bench player, Crawford became a potent offensive contributor. Hence, he won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award three times.

After retiring in 2020, Crawford continues his involvement with boys basketball, especially in his alma mater. As Komo News’ Niko Tamurian wrote, he was at the sidelines when the Vikings won the state championship last winter. Likewise, he coaching his son, eighth-grade JJ Crawford, in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.