What Jamal Crawford is about to inform you, he hasn’t even advised his broadcast companions Mike Tirico and Reggie Miller but.
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Crawford, who performed 20 years within the NBA, is now a coloration commentator for NBC Sports activities and has been calling playoff video games with Tirico and Miller, together with the thrilling second-round matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
And Crawford has been sprinkling in a secret catchphrase nobody has caught on to but.
“You recognize what? I’ve one, and through these playoffs you’ll hear it,” Crawford advised NBC Information final week when requested if he has ready a signature name for the postseason. “You’re the primary particular person I’m telling I’ve one. Not even Mike and Reggie know this. If you hear it, you’ll know. I’ll offer you a bit trace: You’re going to listen to one thing a few courtroom.”
Eager listeners might or might not know Crawford’s catchphrase, however they’re probably nicely conscious of the passion he brings to the printed. After an extended, storied profession through which he performed for 9 groups, Crawford dipped his toe into the media waters starting in 2021, calling video games for NBA League Move.
He joined TNT as a studio analyst in 2022 and finally began calling choose video games within the sales space for MSG Community in 2024 as a part of the New York Knicks’ native broadcast.
When the NBA returned to NBC this season, Crawford joined as one of many lead analysts. He hit it off with Tirico and Miller immediately. Inside a half of calling a preseason recreation collectively, he says, the trio already felt linked.
“Reggie is a legend. I nonetheless study and steal from him. Mike is the final word level guard. He units everyone else up first, however he is aware of when to do his filay layup,” Crawford mentioned. “It’s an honor to take a seat with these guys, however we’ve a very good crew in all places.”
Calling video games is simply one of many methods Crawford stays near the game he loves. Along with his work for NBC Sports activities, Crawford additionally narrates “Chasing Historical past,” a behind-the-scenes digital documentary produced by the NBA. Crawford travels along with his microphone so he can file his voice-overs all through the playoffs.
“To be this near the sport is unimaginable,” mentioned Crawford, who additionally coaches AAU and works with faculty and professional gamers within the offseason. “However this brings a unique connection. This, for me, is like what I heard in my childhood when Marv Albert was on a name, or Bob Costas, or Ahmad Rashad. I take such delight in it.”
Crawford, a self-described basketball nerd, mentioned he’s having a lot enjoyable calling video games that he typically finds himself having to tone it down in the course of the broadcast.
“I’m coming straight from like, ‘Yo, I’m a fan. We’re on the bar, I’m having my Sprite lemonade.’ I’m really a fan of the sport within the purest, truest sense.”
As soon as the second spherical ends, Crawford will shift his consideration to the Western Convention finals, which can be broadcast on NBC. Requested whom he’d wish to see within the NBA Finals, Crawford mentioned he’s curious what Madison Sq. Backyard would sound like within the championship spherical. Crawford performed for the Knicks from 2004 to 2009, a interval once they by no means made the playoffs.
“Seeing the Knicks attain the Finals could be loopy. I do know that fan base. They made it really feel just like the playoffs once we have been horrible once I performed there each single evening. So I couldn’t think about what Finals is like in New York.”