Last summer, NBA legend Bill Russell contacted Phoenix Suns shooting guard Jamal Crawford, and Crawford was “blown away” that the Hall of Famer wanted to chat and watch him play basketball.
Crawford and Russell have since become good friends and the veteran scoring guard says it has been a blessing to develop a relationship with one of the best players in NBA history.
“That was crazy,” Crawford told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. “First, he followed me on Twitter, and then I got a message from him to call him, and he wanted to come and see me play. I was blown away. I really was.
“Discussions that are priceless. He’s not just like a basketball hero; he’s an American treasure. I think anybody who’s in his presence and can get that kind of knowledge, the stuff he’s seen and been through and just who he is as a person… when you can get that aura and be around that, it’s only a blessing.
“He and his wife came and saw me in LA this year. They were in Palm Springs and drove up to the game, so, yeah, we’re in constant contact. That’s for life.”
Bill Russell has 11 championship rings. He was a five-time league MVP and made the All-Star team five times. Jamal Crawford doesn't have those type of accolades on his résumé, but he is a legend in the sense that a lot of young players in the NBA today look up to him and ask him for advice.
Jamal Crawford is 38-years-old and still getting buckets. He is in his 19th season in the NBA. Crawford doesn't do it for the money.
He does it because he genuinely loves the game of basketball, and that's something he and Bill Russell have in common.
Follow Us
Subscribe