The NBA is full of “what ifs?” What if Steph Curry were drafted by the Wolves? What if LeBron didn’t leave Cleveland in 2010? What if Tyrese Haliburton didn’t tear his Achilles? The list goes on, and we’ll never know. There will always be debates based on stats and records, but it all comes down to people’s assumptions and imaginations. So, let’s take another one to ponder. What if Jamal Crawford was not the 6th man? Yes, the one who went on to make the position iconic and desirable by winning three Sixth Man of the Year awards. What if he had been a starter?

The millionaire YouTuber, IShowSpeed, recently shared his “hot take.” While talking to SportsCenter, he said, “I feel Jamal Crawford should have been a starter.”

And SportsCenter went on, like a broken record, to list all the achievements of Crawford that really make you wonder: why didn’t he start? Crawford had 19,000 career points, which is, by the way, more than Magic Johnson, and “the nastiest handles the league has ever seen.” He also played 50 more games compared to Shaquille O’Neal, and sank more 3-pointers than Kobe Bryant. Any doubts about his longevity? He dropped 51 points at 39 years of age, “making him the oldest player to ever do it and the only non-starter to ever score that much.”

During his lone season at Michigan, the sparks of a future star were already evident. He led the Wolverines in scoring, dazzling with deep-range shooting, slick crossovers, and the ability to create opportunities for teammates. Drafted in 2000, he was immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls, a team trying to find its footing in the post-Jordan era.

His early NBA years were rocky. Chicago went 89-239 over his first four seasons, and he was later traded to the New York Knicks, where he once again became the lone bright spot on a struggling roster. 

But that didn’t stop Crawford from dropping a 52-point performance at MSG. Later stints with Golden State showcased his explosive talent, making him one of only four players to score 50 points for three different teams, though it was clear he wasn’t suited to be a franchise centerpiece due to defensive limitations and inefficiency.

When Crawford arrived in Atlanta in 2009, he embraced a new path that would define his legacy. “To be honest with you, it’s a lot harder coming off the bench than it is starting,” Crawford told theScore. “Starting, you can feel your way through, you have a lot of time, you don’t have to rush. Coming off the bench, you have to make something happen, and once you do that, everyone knows you’re coming off the bench to make that specifically happen.” 

Willingly stepping into the sixth man role, Crawford finally tasted playoff basketball while delivering career-defining performances, and it clicked. He went on to win his first Sixth Man of the Year award, and since then, there’s been no looking back.

“I think I helped make it cool. It’s a product of hard work. You can literally make something cool. So it’s crazy to see the effect of where it went,” Crawford said earlier this year on the Eye for the Game podcast with Austin Rivers, and we couldn’t agree more. For Crawford, playing in the league was a blessing, and the role didn’t matter as long as he got a chance to make plays, hit big shots, and help his team chase a championship.

In Atlanta, playing behind stars like Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson, Crawford adapted seamlessly to coming off the bench and ended up as the team’s second-leading scorer that season. But did it slow him down? Not at all. He remains the only player in NBA history to score 50 points or more for four different teams: the Chicago Bulls, Knicks, Warriors, and Phoenix Suns. 

And that mindset isn’t something he learned under the harsh spotlight of the NBA; it was there back in high school. He told his coach, “It seems like it means too much to everybody else. Let them start. I just want to play.” In his first game, he proved his choice right, scoring 22 points against a top-ranked team. That experience taught him that starting doesn’t define impact; it’s about ‘finding your own lane, suppressing the ego,’ and contributing however you can. And he contributed well.

And being compared to Jamal Crawford is a compliment of the highest order. Even JJ Redick, who once played alongside Crawford, knows the weight of that comparison when he makes it.

Redick thinks that Austin Reaves plays like Crawford

With the preseason heating up and the regular season just around the corner, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has been keeping a close eye on Austin Reaves. After the Lakers’ win over the Golden State Warriors, Redick didn’t hold back in his praise, drawing a bold comparison while giving Crawford his flowers. “He’s so crafty. The ability to draw fouls, you put your hands there and he’s able to rise up,” Redick said. “I played with a guy, Jamal Crawford, who’s so good at that. So it’s just picking up little tricks here and there to get to the free-throw line. He’s always been good at that, but you see that continue to develop.”

Reaves himself was quick to appreciate the comparison, noting Crawford’s cold-blooded creativity and how naturally plays unfold for him on the court. And that win against the Warriors deserved the praise. Reaves finished with 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting, along with three rebounds and three assists in just 23 minutes. He led the Lakers to a 126-116 victory over their Western Conference rivals.

Despite a scary moment in the third quarter when he collided with Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski, Reaves reassured everyone after the game that he was fine. Head coach Redick echoed that sentiment, explaining it was just a minor knee impact to his lower leg, nothing serious to worry about.

Reaves will sit out the upcoming preseason matchup against the Mavericks on Wednesday; the Lakers are relieved knowing their star is healthy and in form. At 27, this season is a big one for him, especially with his contract situation looming. After turning down a four-year, $89.2 million offer earlier this offseason, Reaves will become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and with performances like this, it’s clear he’ll enter free agency as one of the most intriguing pieces on the market.