This summer, Jamal Crawford has been firmly on the minds of Kentucky Basketball fans. The idea of the three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year joining Mark Pope’s staff in Lexington is certainly an appealing one, and he’d team up with former NBA All-Star Mo Williams to give the Wildcats a sideline loaded with pro-level experience.
At the moment, though, Crawford remains under contract with NBC Sports as a game analyst, where he works alongside Reggie Miller and play-by-play man Mike Tirico on the network’s lead NBA broadcast crew. This past season marked NBC’s return to NBA coverage after a 23-year absence, and the trio called a thrilling Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder—a series that went the full seven games, with the Spurs closing it out on the road in Game 7.
In addition to his broadcast duties, Crawford serves as an assistant coach at Rainer Beach High School in Seattle, where he coaches his son, J.J. Crawford, a standout prospect in the class of 2029.
So does that leave the door open for Crawford to eventually join Pope’s staff? During his Wednesday morning appearance on KSR’s radio show with Matt Jones, Pope didn’t sound like he expects Crawford to step away from his current role anytime soon.
Pope noted that Crawford still has two years remaining on his NBC deal, and emphasized their long-standing friendship. He acknowledged that coaching is likely in Crawford’s future pointing out that, like Williams, Crawford is the type who doesn’t just fund an AAU program but actually runs and coaches one. Pope suggested Crawford could have a bright future in college coaching, or even as an NBA head coach down the line, but for now, he’s in a great situation with his current broadcasting commitments.
The situation brings to mind the Memphis Tigers when Penny Hardaway took over as head coach in 2018. Hardaway had former NBA Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, and two-time champion Mike Miller on his staff for two seasons a staff brimming with high-level basketball knowledge.
With Kentucky’s coaching staff already seeing changes this offseason, it’s still unclear whether the Wildcats will add another piece to that group.
Pope mentioned that he’s constantly having conversations about staff, even when the roster is full, and that any addition would have to be the right fit for what they’re building. But he stressed that the program is already operating at a very high level.
Beyond the coaching staff, there’s also the question of who will fill the team’s final roster spot for the 15th scholarship, though there’s still time to address both that and a possible staff addition.
Kentucky tips off its season on Tuesday, November 3rd, hosting Manhattan at Rupp Arena.
Leave a Reply