Former NBA basketball player Jamal Crawford is revealing what he thinks is harming the game today for young players. Crawford says that parents are being delusional in the AAU circuit and harming their kids, per his social media.
“If we're always making excuses for our children's behavior where it has to be someone else's fault, and we're not teaching them accountability, we're setting them up to fail,” Crawford said. “As parents we have to be better.”
Crawford goes on to say that it's not wise for parents to criticize their children's coaches, and put the blame on them. Crawford expressed his gratitude for how his parents expected him to take responsibility for his own mistakes when playing AAU basketball.
“Looking back when I played AAU, the thing I take the most pride in, is my mom or dad NEVER complained to one coach I ever played for from 8 years old on,” Crawford added.
It's safe to say that Crawford knows what he is talking about. The former player spent 20 years in the NBA, playing for nine different franchises. He was known as an expert ball handler and was the NBA Sixth Man of the Year three times. Crawford was also named the NBA Teammate of the Year in 2018. He finished his pro career with 19,419 points in the league.
AAU basketball is definitely a high stakes game for many children and their families. Success in AAU can lead to scholarship offers for a young player to a high-profile school. That can in turn lead to a professional basketball career for a player. Parents certainly want what is best for children, but it is understandable that sometimes things can get out of hand. It will be interesting to see how Crawford comments on this issue in the future.
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