As a 19-year NBA veteran one thing can certainly be said of 3-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner Jamal Crawford. He is a player who loves to hoop. At 41-years old, Crawford’s glory days may be behind him, but he will still never deny himself the opportunity to play basketball at the highest level.
Crawford has not played in the NBA since the 2019-20 season when he joined the Brooklyn Nets for the NBA restart inside of the Disney Bubble. Unfortunately for Crawford, his stint with the Nets was a short-lived one as he injured his hamstring in his first game with the Nets. That injury ultimately ruled Crawford out for the rest of the season as he never played again.
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Jamal Crawford Blames Nets Training Staff for Hamstring Injury
Crawford says that injury was ultimately caused by Brooklyn’s training staff and took place before he ever took the court for the Nets.
“When I got hurt with the Nets, I didn’t get hurt on the basketball court. I got hurt in the weight room before that and that’s what triggered the injury. And I did not want to be the high-maintenance veteran coming to a team like everybody lifts, but I’m not going to lift. I’m like I’m in the bubble and I am happy to be here,” said Crawford during a recent Twitter Spaces per LandonBuford.com.
“I’m going to do what you guys ask, I don’t lift, but hey, I’m going to try it. That’s where the injury started and so, the injury on the court against Milwaukee, it happened a week and a half before that in the weight room. And they knew that by the way.”
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Crawford Says He Was in for Big Game Before Leaving With Injury
Crawford had not played basketball in over 16 months before his debut for the Nets in the Disney Bubble, but for hoopers like him, the game comes naturally. While he only was on the floor for five minutes in that short span, he had 5 points and 3 assists.
The former Sixth Man of the Year insists that if it had not been for that injury, he would have put on a performance that would have left the NBA shell-shocked.
“I had three assists before I took a shot. So, once I hit the first shot, then I scored again and I’m looking at who’s guarding me. And I’m looking at their eyes, and now they’re starting to look around for help when I’m coming down the court. I’m like ‘Oh I got ’em.’ he said during an appearance on the Hoop Narrative podcast via a transcript obtained per NetsDaily.
“I promise you, I was like ‘I’m about to paint a masterpiece.’ I promise you, every minute I would’ve played — in five minutes I had five points and three assists if I would’ve played 20 minutes, I was going to have 20 points and eight assists. … I thought it would take longer to come back, [but] it was back.”
Crawford has not played a game in the NBA since suffering that injury in 2020. Even at 41 years old, if a team was looking to add scoring to their second unit, the veteran guard is at least worth a look.
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Ex-Brooklyn Nets Guard Blames Training Staff for Season-Ending Injury