Jamal Crawford has to tone down his excitement while calling games for NBC

NBAJamal Crawford has to tone down his excitement while calling games for NBCCrawford, a self-described basketball nerd, spoke with NBC News about his transition from a 20-year NBA career to the broadcast booth.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00From left, Reggie Miller, Jamal Crawford and Mike Tirico during a game between the Boston Celtics and the Minnesota Timberwolves at TD Garden in Boston in March.Winslow Townson / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 18, 2026, 7:56 AM EDTBy Rohan NadkarniWhat Jamal Crawford is about to tell you, he hasn’t even told his broadcast partners Mike Tirico and Reggie Miller yet.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Crawford, who played 20 years in the NBA, is now a color commentator for NBC Sports and has been calling playoff games with Tirico and Miller, including the thrilling second-round matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves.And Crawford has been sprinkling in a secret catchphrase no one has caught on to yet.“You know what? I have one, and during these playoffs you will hear it,” Crawford told NBC News last week when asked if he has prepared a signature call for the postseason. “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.”Keen listeners may or may not know Crawford’s catchphrase, but they are likely well aware of the enthusiasm he brings to the broadcast. After a long, storied career in which he played for nine teams, Crawford dipped his toe into the media waters beginning in 2021, calling games for NBA League Pass.He joined TNT as a studio analyst in 2022 and eventually started calling select games in the booth for MSG Network in 2024 as part of the New York Knicks’ local broadcast.When the NBA returned to NBC this season, Crawford joined as one of the lead analysts...