{"id":37836,"date":"2020-07-31T06:18:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-31T03:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/jamal-crawford-talks-nets-future-tom-thibodeau-kobe-bryants-death\/"},"modified":"2020-07-31T06:18:00","modified_gmt":"2020-07-31T03:18:00","slug":"jamal-crawford-talks-nets-future-tom-thibodeau-kobe-bryants-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/jamal-crawford-talks-nets-future-tom-thibodeau-kobe-bryants-death\/","title":{"rendered":"#Jamal Crawford talks Nets future, Tom Thibodeau, Kobe Bryant\u2019s death"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Jamal Crawford talks Nets future, Tom Thibodeau, Kobe Bryant\u2019s death<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

\n As the NBA restarts its season, Jamal Crawford, the oldest player in the league and one of the newest Nets, plays a little one-on-one with Steve Serby, talking about his new team, his old team across town and how he\u2019s stayed in the league so long. <\/em><\/p>\n

Q: How do you view the Nets with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving next season?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It will be unbelievable, because they\u2019re saying like these guys are two superpowers coming together with a host of really, really, really good players. They have a real friendship and I think that will be at the root of everything. I think they\u2019ll be able to work through anything just on their true friendship they have. And there\u2019ll be good and bad times, right, during the course of a season? Whatever it is, they\u2019ll figure it out.<\/p>\n

Q: So that makes them a championship contender, correct?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I would say \u2026 yes, absolutely.
<\/br>
<\/br>
\nQ: How would you like to be part of that?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Oh, that would be unbelievable for me \u2019cause those are two of my closest friends in the league, that I haven\u2019t actually played with, but just have genuine friendship. I\u2019m just trying to stay in the moment, be thankful for this opportunity.<\/p>\n

Q: What did you think about Kyrie committing $1.5 million to help pay WNBA players who opted out?<\/em><\/p>\n

A: That doesn\u2019t surprise me, to be honest with you. Ky is always doing something. Think about the things he\u2019s done, from the stuff with social<\/a> justice, the stuff with the WNBA, to the stuff that happ<\/a>ened with the pandemic. He was never one to put it out there like, \u201cHey I did this, this or that.\u201d Kyrie does a lot of things that people may not know about.<\/p>\n

Q: Jarrett Allen?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: The first thing that comes to mind is he will be a star big man for years to come. And it won\u2019t be the traditional 20-and-10-type star big man. It may be 14 or 15 and 10 and five blocks and two steals. I think he\u2019s a prototypical big man in today\u2019s NBA. He\u2019s so young, he\u2019s so curious, he\u2019s asking questions, he\u2019s so thoughtful.<\/p>\n

Q: Why can Caris LeVert be special?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: His humility. He\u2019s always asking questions, he\u2019s always trying to learn. His work ethic \u2026 (Tuesday) night we were working out at 11 o\u2019clock at night. He can do some of everything on the court. He\u2019s unselfish. I really believe he\u2019s a cross between Penny Hardaway and Joe Johnson.<\/p>\n

Q: Coach Jacque Vaughn?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I really, really like him, I like his approach, I like his energy, I like how he conducts business, I like how he knows how to sprinkle in some fun. Everybody on this team knows he cares.<\/p>\n

\"Nets\"<\/img>
Jamal Crawford<\/span>Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: Your message for Nets fans?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: For now, stay with us, and the future is so, so bright.<\/p>\n

Q: How do you think Tom Thibodeau will do as Knicks coach?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Obviously being familiar with that market, I think he\u2019ll be prepared, I think he\u2019ll build the culture, and I think he\u2019ll bring strong leadership. They\u2019ll be very businesslike, for sure.<\/p>\n

Q: Why did you opt-out with the T-Wolves?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Even though we made the playoffs, it wasn\u2019t an enjoyable environment for me. I\u2019ve talked to guys who have really enjoyed the whole situation playing for Thibs. You just have to ask, I guess, the people that played for him multiple years.<\/p>\n

Q: World Wide Wes?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I\u2019ve known him since I was in high school.<\/p>\n

Q: How is he going to help the Knicks?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Relationships. Wes knows everybody. And not one person I know has a bad thing to say about him. And that\u2019s hard to do in this business. So respected on so many levels. He just has great character. I think he brings a legit perspective that people really, really look towards, so he\u2019ll be a huge, huge asset.<\/p>\n

Q: Leon Rose?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I love him. I\u2019ve never even worked with him, but I\u2019ve known him since I was with the Bulls because Rick Brunson was like a mentor for me on that team and he was with Leon, so I got a chance to know Leon and be around him a lot. Love that guy.<\/p>\n

Q: Your message to Knicks fans?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I think the plan is in place to really go forward. I believe they\u2019re really on the right track. Their future\u2019s bright.<\/p>\n

Q: Why did this country take so long to discover that Black Lives Matter?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: That\u2019s a great question. I\u2019m not sure they took so long to discover it; I think they took a long time to really address it head-on. They\u2019ve known for a while that they\u2019ve kind of hid behind the fact that it\u2019s not really affecting everybody else right now. But now it\u2019s to the point where it\u2019s undeniable, to the point where you can\u2019t turn the other way. Either you\u2019re part of the solution, or you\u2019re part of the problem.<\/p>\n

Q: Does that make you angry that it took so long, or maybe relieved that it\u2019s finally here?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Both. It\u2019s like it shouldn\u2019t take modern-day lynching for everybody to say, \u201cOh no, this has gone too far.\u201d Because you know what? There\u2019s a lot of lynchings that happen that weren\u2019t caught on video, so it didn\u2019t necessarily strike a chord because people are like, \u201cOh I didn\u2019t see it. I heard about it, or I read about it,\u201d but actually seeing it, it really struck a chord. Even me to this day, my wife always says this \u2014 when I\u2019m driving a car, and the police are around, she says I tense up, and I really do. I have a license, I have registration, everything is good, but it\u2019s like just the fact that at a certain point, sometimes they can do whatever they want, and say, \u201cOh this happened, or this didn\u2019t happen, or this guy tried to draw for a gun.\u201d All of those things play on my mind, and they always have and no amount of money or fame or anything could ever change that for me personally.<\/p>\n

Even as a younger man, flying first class sometimes, right, people look, and kinda get that feeling when they\u2019re walking to their seats or when they sit down, just that feeling almost like, \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d It\u2019s a real thing, and that\u2019s just on a smaller level.<\/p>\n

Q: Why did you choose to wear EQUALITY on the back of your jersey?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Because at the end of the day, isn\u2019t that what we all want? Not to see a color, not to see financial status, not to see male versus female, not to see anything. We all just want to be looked at as equal.<\/p>\n

Q: In all your years of watching NBA players and playing in the NBA, was there one guy who reminded you of you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: When I was a kid, I used to ask people, \u201cHey, who do I play like?\u201d And they were like, \u201cWell, you have a little bit of him and a little bit of him, and maybe a little bit of him.\u201d That was the most disheartening, because I\u2019m like, \u201cHow am I gonna make this top level if I don\u2019t play like anybody that plays there?\u201d So now I\u2019m kinda thankful for the fact that I still don\u2019t really play like anybody as far as style goes.<\/p>\n

Q: How would you describe your style?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Twenty years, I\u2019ve never been asked that! I would describe my style as free-flowing \u2026 entertaining \u2026 smooth in a way \u2026 kinda crazy, a little crazy.<\/p>\n

Q: Crazy how?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Just the shot attempts: \u201cI cannot believe he tried that.\u201d I would say my style\u2019s unique. \u201cIt\u2019s not for everybody\u201d \u2014 I get that too.<\/p>\n

Q: Adjectives for your on-court mentality.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Assassin \u2026 aggressive.<\/p>\n

Q: How about fearless?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Oh that\u2019s definitely one, yes, I\u2019m so fearless on the court for sure.<\/p>\n

Q: What makes you fearless on the court?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I\u2019ve seen a quote from Michael Jordan a long time ago, like \u2014 \u201cWork ethic eliminates fear.\u201d And so for me, I know I\u2019ve worked on every shot I\u2019ve tried, I\u2019ve worked on it thousands upon thousands upon thousands of times. And even if you miss doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll miss the next one. Even Stephon Marbury, the last thing he said to me (2017), was \u201cStay fearless.\u201d He must have liked that part about me.<\/p>\n

\"Jamal<\/img>
Jamal Crawford<\/span>Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: Your reaction when (then-GM) Donnie Walsh traded you from the Knicks in 2008?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I was shocked, I was hurt. That was the first time I\u2019d ever been traded. At the time, I was averaging 20-plus points, and Zach Randolph the same thing, and it was the best start in the last 10 years. I had been there with so many down years, I wanted to be loyal and be there when things turned around, and be part of the reason, I didn\u2019t want to run just because of the challenge. I get it \u2014 2010 (LeBron free agency) was coming up, and Zach and I made the most.<\/p>\n

Q: You\u2019ve played for 20 head coaches, Doc Rivers is among your favorites?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Doc never used what I didn\u2019t do well against me. He uplifted what I did do well. What I\u2019ve learned about myself is that I enjoy playing for guys who actually played the game<\/a>, whether it be Isiah (Thomas), Mike Woodson, Doc, or Vinny Del Negro, or Herb Williams.<\/p>\n

Q: How did you learn of the Kobe tragedy?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: My son plays on a basketball team and I was talking to one of the other parents, who actually has a daughter, and he was like, \u201cHey, I\u2019m gonna miss the boys basketball challenge this weekend because I\u2019m taking my daughter down to the Mamba Academy. Hey if I see Kobe, I\u2019m gonna tell him that I know you.\u201d I said, \u201cOh man, he\u2019s cool. Great guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Q: Then your friend called on Sunday when you were at the gym watching the boys game.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: The first thing I\u2019m thinking is like, \u201cOh, he bumped into Kobe, I\u2019m about to talk to Kobe and kinda catch up.\u201d And then he tells me the news<\/a>, and this was before it was public, because he was actually in the facility. But he didn\u2019t have all the details about how he passed. \u2026 My wife came out and checked on me. I just started crying, tears came down her face.<\/p>\n

Q: Kobe once rearranged his plans at the last minute to watch you play in your pro-am.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It meant everything. I considered him a friend for sure.<\/p>\n

Q: What was it like playing against him?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Never played against a better player.<\/p>\n

Q: The night you scored 52 points at the Garden was your favorite Knicks memory.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I\u2019ve scored 50 other times, but that was like the hottest night of my life, even in a workout, summer game, whatever \u2026 with the whole world watching, in the world\u2019s most famous arena. I had 52 and I came out with seven minutes to go, that could have easily been a 65-point game, that\u2019s how hot I was. That\u2019s Isiah (Thomas) calling great plays, that\u2019s Stephon (Marbury) passing the ball, Nate (Robinson) passing the ball, David Lee, Channing Frye, Q-Rich (Quentin Richardson), those guys getting me open.<\/p>\n

Q: Winning Sixth Man of the Year three times.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I never looked at it like, \u201cHey I want to be one of the best bench guys of all time.\u201d But I got tired of being known as a good player on bad teams. It kinda changed the course of my career and that was Year 10.<\/p>\n

Q: How well did you know Tom Brady at Michigan?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Our basketball team manager at the time was very close with Tom, they grew up together in California. When Tom was a backup, he would say, \u201cMan, they just need to play Tom more, I\u2019m telling you.\u201d<\/p>\n