Javaris Crittenton was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007, and for a minute, it looked like he had a real shot. Across two seasons with the Lakers, Grizzlies, and Wizards, he averaged 5.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 113 regular-season games. He was young, athletic, and showed flashes of promise early on, especially during his stint with the Grizzlies after being traded for Pau Gasol. But just as his career was starting to unfold, things took a dark and unexpected turn in 2011, when Crittenton’s name was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

It was August 19, 2011—Javaris Crittenton, once an NBA prospect with so much promise, made a life-altering decision. Believing he was targeting someone who had previously robbed him, he fired shots from a moving vehicle in Atlanta. But he hit the wrong person. Julian Jones, a 22-year-old mother of four, was standing nearby and was fatally struck in the leg, her femoral artery severed. Crittenton was arrested ten days later at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. In 2015, he accepted a plea deal for voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault, receiving a 23-year prison sentence. It’s hard to believe that this was the same Javaris Crittenton who once shared the court with Dwight Howard, who was his high school teammate at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy.

Years later, reuniting on Above the Rim with Dwight Howard, Javaris Crittenton took a rare moment to reflect on the early days—their high school squad that was stacked with talent, dreams, and raw ambition. As the two looked at an old team photo, Dwight couldn’t help but smile. “He was the baby,” Howard said, laughing softly. “He was the baby of the crew, so we joked with him a lot, but he didn’t back down. That’s why we loved him. And you look at the picture—you see how we was. Look at me smirking back there.”

Javaris, too, opened up about what it meant to be the youngest on such a loaded roster. “I think that was like my seventh to eighth grade year,” he said. “I was young and they were older, so I was always watching them. They probably didn’t know who I was yet… but they were those guys, you know what I mean? I was highly ranked in my class, but they probably weren’t keeping up with the Young Bucks.”

He went on, “When I got a chance to play with them, it was like—yo, you gonna go play up with the big dogs. And I wasn’t playing like I wanted to at first, I was 14 years old, I’m like, ‘Bro, send me back to my age group.’” But he stuck it out. “Dwight would pull me to the side sometimes, like, ‘Hey man, just calm down, just keep learning.’ That helped me grow. I had my challenges, but I wanted to be great. Playing with those guys, that spark was there—and I was thankful to be part of that team.”

Before Javaris Crittenton ever stepped foot on an NBA court, he was already making noise in Georgia hoops. At Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, he teamed up with Dwight Howard, and together they led the school to a Georgia Class A state championship in 2004—Howard’s senior year. Crittenton was just a freshman then, but he played like a seasoned vet, averaging 5.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists across 113 high school games. His early poise, confidence, and feel for the game made it clear: this kid wasn’t just coming up—he was coming for everything.

Now, two years since his release from prison, he might be about to make a comeback on the court.

Will Javaris join Dwight Howard for Big3?

When Javaris Crittenton walked out of prison in April 2023, ten years into a 23-year sentence, nobody was more stunned than Vince Velasquez, the detective who’d first arrested him. “I was shocked,” Velasquez said in the Netflix documentary Untold: Shooting Guards. “How does someone who took the life of an innocent mother of four get out after ten years on a 23-year bid?” According to him, the victim’s family wasn’t even told about the deal that secured Crittenton’s early release. And the twist? Velasquez pointed fingers at a possible influence behind the scenes—Dwight Howard. During Crittenton’s trial, Dwight’s uncle, Paul Howard, was the district attorney, and Velasquez believes that he may have used his influence. “One can only imagine that that may have had some influence on that deal,” Velasquez said.

Now, two years after his release, Crittenton is trying to find his footing again—this time on the basketball court. Sitting down on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast, he sounded reflective, maybe even hopeful. When asked about potentially playing in the BIG3, his answer came quickly: “I definitely would consider that, man. I love the game, I can still play, I can still move.” The idea of redemption through hoops isn’t new, but for someone who’s spent the last decade behind bars, it’s a tall ask. “I think I end up putting the ball down when I can’t move no more… But right now, I still go.” His body, sharpened by competitive prison-league games, is still willing.

The timing? Couldn’t be more interesting. The BIG3 league is heating up with major moves—Dwight Howard just signed with the LA Riot, and Ice Cube is going full throttle with a new Starter partnership and city-based teams. It’s the kind of fresh, flashy setup that could give someone like Crittenton a second shot—not just at basketball, but at public redemption.

Looking back, Javaris Crittenton’s memories with Dwight Howard offer a glimpse into the brotherhood and promise that once defined their journey.