Louisville Offers '29 Guard J.J. Crawford

Crawford is the son of former NBA veteran Jamal Crawford, and a contender for the top-ranked player in the cycle.

Jan 2, 2026; Mesa, AZ, USA; Rainier Beach High School (WA) guard J.J. Crawford (11) celebrates a play against Mater Dei during the HoopHall West Tournament at Skyline High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Head coach Pat Kelsey and his staff for the Louisville men's basketball program might be hard at work recruiting the transfer portal for next year's team, but they're also making sure they lay the groundwork for elite talent in the high school ranks.

Seattle (Wash.) Rainier Beach guard J.J. Crawford, the son of former NBA veteran and three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford, announced this week that he has been offered a scholarship to play for the Cardinals.

Assistant coach Peyton Siva, also a Seattle native, is serving as Crawford's lead recruiter.

Rankings in the Class of 2029 have yet to be released, but when they do, the 6-foot-3, 150-pound combo guard is sure to be a highly ranked prospect - if not in the running for the No. 1 prospect in the class. Crawford already hold 14 scholarship offers, including ones from Arizona State, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Washington and others.

Crawford is coming off of a spectacular freshman season for Rainier Beach. He not only earned a First-Team Freshman All-America Team nod from MaxPreps, he was named their National Co-Freshman of the Year. He helped the Vikings go 29-1, winning the Washington Division 3A state championship in the process.

"The son of former NBA veteran Jamal Crawford plays with advanced speed and space," ESPN's Paul Biancardi wrote of Crawford this past winter. "He's a capable shooter and playmaker with impressive passing vision. Crawford regularly breaks pressure, hits 3s and already has a floater at this stage of development. He plays with his head up and makes sound decisions.

While the Class of 2027 is the more immediate recruiting cycle, Crawford is the latest example that Kelsey and his staff have shown the foresight to start the recruiting process years in advance. The Cardinals have also offered four prospects in the Class of 2028, with two of them being five-star prospects.

In the 2027 recruiting class, Louisville already holds a pair of commitments from La Porte (Ind.) La Lumiere forward Ferlandes Wright, and Hickory (N.C.) Moravian Prep guard Isaac Ellis. They're offered 15 prospects in this cycle, including nine that are five-stars by the 247Sports Composite.

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(Photo of J.J. Crawford: Mark J. Rebilas - Imagn Images)