Ask anyone covering the Los Angeles Clippers, anyone working for the team or anyone in the Clippers’ locker room, and Jamal Crawford is instantly described as one of the genuinely nicest people wearing a red, white and blue jersey.
His demeanor off the court garners unsolicited compliments from nearly everyone who encounters the high-volume shooter.
On Wednesday, ESPN.com reported that Crawford was being recognized for his personality on the court with the NBA Sixth-Man Award, the honor bestowed upon the best non-starter in the NBA.
Crawford, who averaged 18.6 points on the season, came off the bench in 45 of his 69 appearances.
For the Seattle native, the 2013-14 Sixth Man Award puts Crawford in select company alongside Detlef Schrempf, Ricky Pierce and Kevin McHale as the only four players to collect the trophy twice. Previously, the Clippers' guard won the award while playing for the Atlanta Hawks during the 2009-10 season.
Currently embroiled in playoffs series with the Golden State Warriors, Crawford is averaging 15.2 points per game over the first five games of the series. Edging out the likes of Manu Gibobili of the San Antonio Spurs, Reggie Jackson of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Vince Carter of the Dallas Mavericks for the award, Crawford’s role on the Clippers is one of a finisher, even if he’s not a starter.
ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reported that Crawford was originally scheduled to receive the award before Game 5, as the award is usually handed out at home. However, the mess involving Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling and the NBA’s decision to ban Sterling for life delayed the delivery of the trophy.
