"Your love for the game…that's so rare" - Jamal Crawford reveals why Michael Jordan decided to become his mentor in the NBA
Jamal Crawford might not have had the career he was initially hoping to have when he entered the NBA, but after 20 seasons, it’s safe to say he accomplished a lot. Crawford redefined the sixth-man role in the league and put together a wildly impressive highlight reel by the time he retired.
Along the way, Jamal received the mentorship of arguably the greatest player of all time in Michael Jordan. When Crawford asked MJ why he chose to mentor him of all people, he highlighted one key trait that stood out.
Jamal shares an awesome MJ story
Crawford broke into the league with the Chicago Bulls, and while Jordan unretired to play with the Washington Wizards, there was no doubt he was always going to be remembered as a Bull. So, he decided to go out and help one of the future cornerstones of the team in Jamal.
While JC only ended up spending four seasons with them, Jordan remained devoted to helping the talented young scorer grow. Apparently, MJ saw Crawford’s passion for the game early on, which convinced him that he was a player worth helping out.
“I texted Michael Jordan,” Jamal said on 'Hoop Dreams The Podcast.' “I say, ‘What did you see in me? Why did you say you would mentor me and cuff me? Why? You, Michael Jordan, you got a million people that want to be in that position.’ He said ‘Your love for the game, I knew from the beginning, that’s so rare, especially in this era. Your passion will always push you…That love for the game you can’t duplicate, that love for the game you can’t fake.”
Jamal took Michael's advice and ran with it
Some NBA players coast off of talent alone, but Crawford clearly wasn’t that type of player, and neither was Jordan. In fact, that’s largely what fueled him to put together the historic career that he ended up having with the Bulls.
For some folks, it may seem foolish to have all that talent and not put it to the best use possible in the NBA. But some advice from MJ early in his career helped Crawford keep that passion burning, to the point where he still is frequently playing basketball even though he’s now retired.
“Michael Jordan, when I was working out with him in Chicago. He said, ‘A lot of people that come with the game but don’t actually love the game,’ and that stuck with me. Everything else comes from the game. No matter what you do after that, comes from what you provide on the court and what you bring. That stuck with me forever,” Crawford said.
When Jordan speaks, people listen, and Crawford took this small piece of advice and ran with it. Even as his skills diminished as he got older, 'J-Crossover' still remained as devoted to the game as ever, which is why he managed to stick in the league for as long as he did.
Having Jordan mentor him certainly helped, but Michael clarified that he wouldn’t have helped Crawford if he didn’t believe it was worth his while. In the end, it resulted in one of the more unique mentorship duos in the league's history.
