Jamal Crawford’s Exciting New NBA Commentary Adventure

Jamal Crawford, a former NBA player with a 20-year career, now shines as a color commentator for NBC Sports. Teaming up with Mike Tirico and Reggie Miller, Crawford is calling playoff games, including the thrilling second-round series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Crawford has secretly introduced a catchphrase into his commentary, which he has not yet shared with Tirico and Miller. In an interview with NBC News, he hinted, “You’re the first person I’m telling I have one. Not even Mike and Reggie know this. When you hear it, you’ll know. I’ll give you a little hint: You’re going to hear something about a court.”

Listeners may not have noticed the catchphrase yet, but they recognize Crawford’s enthusiasm. After his storied career with nine teams, he transitioned into media in 2021 with NBA League Pass. By 2022, he joined TNT as a studio analyst and later started calling select games for MSG Network’s New York Knicks broadcasts in 2024.

When the NBA returned to NBC, Crawford became a lead analyst. His chemistry with Tirico and Miller was immediate. Reflecting on his experience, Crawford said of his colleagues, “Reggie is a legend. I still learn and steal from him. Mike is the ultimate point guard. He sets everybody else up first, but he knows when to do his filay layup. It’s an honor to sit with those guys, but we have a good crew all over the place.”

Beyond commentary, Crawford stays connected to basketball by narrating “Chasing History,” an NBA-produced digital documentary. He records voice-overs during the playoffs, often traveling with his microphone.

“To be this close to the game is incredible,” said Crawford, who also coaches AAU and collaborates with college and pro players in the offseason. “This, for me, is like what I heard in my childhood when Marv Albert was on a call, or Bob Costas, or Ahmad Rashad. I take such pride in it.”

Crawford describes himself as a basketball fan and sometimes restrains his enthusiasm during broadcasts. “I’m coming straight from like, ‘Yo, I’m a fan. We are at the bar, I’m having my Sprite lemonade.’ I’m truly a fan of the game in the purest, truest sense.”

As the Western Conference finals approach, Crawford looks forward to the games on NBC. When asked whom he envisions in the NBA Finals, he mentioned his curiosity about Madison Square Garden hosting the finals. Crawford played for the Knicks from 2004 to 2009, a time without playoff appearances.

“Seeing the Knicks reach the Finals would be crazy. I know that fan base. They made it feel like the playoffs when we were terrible when I played there every single night. So I couldn’t imagine what Finals is like in New York.”