NBA Q&A: Jamal Crawford

Courtesy of GQ

GQ: You've been in the NBA for a long time and played on a bunch of teams. Is this the best team you've ever been on?

Jamal Crawford: No question about it. It's the best team, most talented team. It's the most fun I've had since high school, playing with this kind of talent, and playing for a coach and coaching staff who give me the freedom out there to just be who I've been my whole career. There's nothing like winning and winning at a high level.

GQ: What makes it fun?

Jamal Crawford: Just how selfless this group is. I think if you look at our team we have pretty much a veteran team: guys who have bodies of work; guys who are secure with who they are in the League and aren't trying to compete with each other; guys who are really happy for each other. I think it's really a family. We do everything off the court together, from movies to dinner to concerts to whatever, and I think that carries over on the court.

GQ: You often hear guys talk about the way their team hangs out together and how they all get along, but does that really make a difference at the professional level?

Jamal Crawford: Yeah, it does, it does. For us, we had our entire team there in September working together. This is the first time I've seen an entire team there working together that early. That sets the foundation.

GQ: And on Twitter it seems like you guys are always clowning each other and having fun along the way.

Jamal Crawford: It's genuine, and nobody's off limits. Grant Hill, who's one of the elder statesmen on our team, has had to get involved because they got him sleeping a couple of times, so he had to get some guys sleeping. That makes it fun, because everybody is a part of it, and nobody is above it. And I think it starts at the top when Chris and Blake and Coach Del Negro make sure that everybody is comfortable with who they are on the team.

GQ: What's it like playing with Chris Paul?

Jamal Crawford: Unbelievable. Unbelievable. I've never played with anybody like that before. I honestly believe he's this generation's Isiah Thomas, as far as how scrappy he is, his will to win. He's a point guard first, and he's out there quarterbacking everything. He sees plays way before they happen, so far it's not even close. And he's a hoop-head. I'm a hoop-head as well, so that's a good foundation for our friendship—we can talk about a game that happened a month-and-a-half, two months ago, and we'll remember it exactly, down to the small details. He's always watching hoops and League Pass, so we talk about that stuff all the time.

GQ: Did you think the Clippers would be this good this quickly? Is that why you signed with L.A.?

Jamal Crawford: I definitely thought it was possible. You know, Chris was actually the first person to call me. Then Blake, DeAndre, Chauncey, Coach Del Negro—all the core guys called me and told me they wanted me to be on their team. Then I came out here and met with the Clippers, and at the meeting they told me I was their first option. They told me they didn't want a guy who was a spot shooter, they wanted another creator to go along with Chris, so that when he's getting all the attention and getting double-teamed, I could make something happen. So at that lunch they told me I was their first option, and I told them they were my first option at the time. Maybe I shouldn't have—my agent probably didn't like that very much (laughs)—but I was just being honest.

GQ: But for you, if you just looked at the Clippers roster this summer, even though they didn't make it out of the second round of the Playoffs last season, having a chance to team up with all that talent had to be an attractive choice.

Jamal Crawford: Totally. It's an unbelievable collection of players. You know how sometimes you look at a team and think, "We had a good year but we need this?" With this team it's not like, "We need a scorer," or, "We need a point guard." We pretty much have everything. We still have to get healthy, with Chauncey and Grant still being out, but it's scary how good we can be.

GQ: Well, that's the big question with you guys. We know you won 17 in a row and the chemistry seems to be great, but what happens when Chauncey and Grant get healthy and the minutes start going down for everyone else?

Jamal Crawford: Yeah, but I think we get better. It's not like those two want to come back playing 40 minutes a night. We all understand that we'll all have to give a little for the betterment of our team, but that's the way we're built. I think the Clippers did the research on that, as far as having high-character guys who can deal with stuff like that. We can't wait. During the preseason we had everyone except Chauncey; Grant was playing and we could see how good it can be. But put Chauncey in there and it can be scary.

GQ: You know, I've noticed something strange regarding you this season. I've watched you for a long time and have seen the way you've always played, but for some reason this season...

Jamal Crawford: (laughs) I know what you're about to say, but go ahead.

GQ: Well, to me it's funny because it seems like now all of a sudden everyone's talking about your ball-handling and your style of play.

Jamal Crawford: (laughs) It's like I just started playing this year. You know, I've been doing these things for years, but it really shows you the difference between winning and losing. When you're losing it's like you're not really on the map, and people don't even pay attention to it. But being in L.A. and winning, people really start to take notice. It's weird that it happens like that, because all of a sudden your name becomes larger. You know, I'm in my 13th season. I can't think of anybody whose name has gotten bigger at that point, because by then you're pretty much established. But it's been fun. It's been a wild ride. And I still think the best is yet to come.

GQ: And you're pretty much doing what you've always done—the crossovers, creating, making the four-point plays.

Jamal Crawford: Oh yeah. But when you win there's nothing like it, there's absolutely nothing like it. And you know what's weird? I kind of figured it would be like that, and I knew I had to be ready coming here, because of the expectations for our team and how good we could be. But it's been unbelievable to actually see the rewards from the summer, and actually going through the process of it.

GQ: In a way does it feel like after 13 seasons in the NBA, you've finally found the place where you fit in?

Jamal Crawford: No question. This feels like home. It's weird because I haven't had this type of feeling of a place feeling like home since New York. You know, my first nine years I only played for two teams, Chicago and New York. And the only reason I got traded from New York was the 2010 free agency period, when they had a chance to sign LeBron and D-Wade and that whole class, and I understood that. But from there it's kind of been a roller coaster. Playing with these guys, playing with Chris and Blake and DeAndre and Chauncey and Grant, this is home.

GQ: To me the most amazing stat—and this kind of speaks to what a wild ride it's been for you—is that you've had a different head coach every year of your career.

Jamal Crawford: Actually, I've had sixteen head coaches. That's, like, unbelievable, right?

GQ: It's incredible.

Jamal Crawford: And you've got to figure, every coach has a different way they see you fitting on their team, a different way they want to use you. I'm glad that I'm here with Coach Del Negro, and we'll get him locked up long-term and keep this group together for a while.

GQ: Well, I hope for your sake you get a chance to have the same coach two full seasons in a row.

Jamal Crawford: If we do what we're supposed to do, everybody will be good.

GQ: Last thing: Who's the best-dressed player on the Clippers?

Jamal Crawford: There are some good ones, now. Chauncey comes with it. Grant definitely comes with it. CP is really into fashion as well. Blake and DJ have their style. But I guess right now I'd go with CP. I think he's into fashion right now a little more than anybody else.

GQ: CP3 probably has a stylist, right? I know a lot of NBA players do.

Jamal Crawford: Aw, you know these young superstars today, with all the stylists and stuff running around. (laughs)

GQ: Do you have one?

Jamal Crawford: No, I do it myself. I guess my fiancé would think she's the stylist, but no, I put my looks together.