Over a career spanning nearly 20 years, Jamal Crawford has developed a reputation as one of the best ballhandlers in the business, as well as someone who could fill up the box score in a hurry.
Such prestige began way back when in the early 2000s when Crawford was just a youngster coming into the league as a member of the Bulls.
During his four-year stint in Chicago, Crawford wasn’t necessarily the go-to scorer he became later in his NBA career. The talent was definitely there, but as a young 20-year old, he still had to learn the ropes.
He constantly had the ball on a string, able to weave in, out and around the defenders. His shooting wasn’t always the most consistent, but everyone knew of Crawford’s ability to take and make shots from just about anywhere on the court.
There were of course times in which everything went right for the man dubbed J-Crossover, where the shot was falling and the handles were tight. When that happened it, spelled trouble for the opponent.
It was in his fourth season that Crawford appeared destined for something special. He was averaging 17.3 points a night, highlighted by a 42-point outburst against the Washington Wizards just two days after Christmas.
He definitely had some of his best days after being traded from Chicago, but during his stint with the Bulls, it was easy to see the scoring potential that resided within Crawford.
As one of the ultimate streaky scorers, he only was able to scratch the surface while donning the red and white, but that didn’t stop him from trying to make everybody beg for mercy with his streetball-like style of play.