A Young Jamal Crawford Was Once Offered $1 Million To Play NBA Hall Of Famer

Shandel Richardson | Jan 2, 2025

Apr 5, 2019; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jamal Crawford (11) dribbles against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton has always talked trash against opponents.

It even held true when he encountered younger players.

Retired NBA player Jamal Crawford recently told a story of Payton challenging him. At the time, Crawford was only in high school when Payton was an already solidified superstar with the Seattle Supersonics.

Crawford, who is from Seattle, randomly met Payton at a mall.

"This was after they went to the Finals," Crawford said on an appearance on Shaquille O'Neal's podcast. "I didn't know this that he had been hearing about me. So he goes down the line. He goes to my one friend, `You terrible. I already played you. He points to his nephew, `you ain't (bleep). I already beat you. Then points to me. I've never said hello to him, `You? You come see me because I'm hearing about all these moves, all these tricks and (bleep) you're doing. We gonna play 1-on-1. If you beat me, I'm gonna give you a million dollars. If I beat you, I want you to walk around naked in your neighborhood."'

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Crawford said the game never happened but it did spark their relationship.

"That was my introduction to Gary Payton," Crawford said. "We never played but I went through the draft and I went and stayed with him in Oakland and he worked me out."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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