"Proudest moment" - Jamal Crawford recalls Devin Booker's kind gesture of playing with former 6MOTY winner’s son
Jamal Crawford was lavish in his praise for Devin Booker and said he was "forever indebted" to the Phoenix Suns star. The 3x NBA Sixth Man of the Year recollected the time Booker played with his son JJ, and the 43-year-old was grateful for the guard's wholesome gesture. JJ and Booker were later seen getting into an intense workout and for the former player, it was way more than he could ask for. Crawford kept it real when asked about his thoughts on Booker's gesture.
Speaking on The Knuckleheads podcast, Crawford revealed how it all played out:
"I was in the gym with him and D-Book was coming to Seattle. He was coming to Pro-Am to support. And D-Book facetimed me. JJ came into the camera, of course, he’s a fan. I will not ever, like, ask for my son to work out with a pro. I would ask, ‘Could he come watch you work out?’ Just so he could be a fly on the wall and see it. That was one of the proudest moments when I was just a dad and they worked out."
During their workout, Crawford observed that Booker and JJ were involved in the former's regular workout schedule and that his son's approach to the game changed afterward.
“Since that day, JJ’s whole mindset has changed. When I’m coaching, I’m not a guy who played 20 years, I’m his dad. So, for him, it’s like, ‘Yeah, whatever’… He listens to me, but it’s a different feeling when one of your favorite players [Devin Booker] is saying the same thing. It resonates differently. Hits different," Crawford added.
As for Devin Booker, this piece of news would surely earn him more fans. The Suns' guard has often been criticized for some of his interactions with the crowd in the arena, but this could shift that tide a tad bit.
Devin Booker calls for accountability after Phoenix Suns' loss to Portland Trail Blazers
It was a shocker the NBA world didn't see coming. The Phoenix Suns ended up on the losing side after they were pipped 109-104 by the Portland Trail Blazers, and Booker minced no words when he called out the team to stay accountable.
“Just keep learning each other, keep talking," Booker said (via Arizona Sports). "It’s time to pick it up. Don’t be scared to hold each other accountable. We’re all on the same path and we all have the same goal and that’s to win basketball games. We understand it’s not going to be easy, it’s not an easy league and we have enough guys on this team who have been around the block. They understand that. It’s time to pick it up.”
Devin Booker has been a force for Phoenix this season. After missing a bunch of games at the start of the season, the guard is now averaging 27.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists. However, the team has still seen a rough run in the last couple of weeks and is currently placed 10th in the West.