Jamal Crawford Could Join Short List of Chicago Bulls Hall of Famers in 2026

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced its list of eligible candidates for its upcoming Class of 2026, and the Chicago Bulls (technically) have a representative for the second straight year.

Only a handful of months after current head coach Billy Donovan accepted his orange jacket, a former Bulls draft pick has been named among the newest nominees. Jamal Crawford joins high-profile names like Blake Griffin, Candace Parker, and Elena Delle Donne. Long-time NBA coach Mike D'Antoni is also a first-time nominee, along with recently-retired NCAA head coach Bruce Pearl. You can see the full list of eligible candidates for 2026 on the Naismith Hall of Fame website.

Some may forget that Crawford's long NBA journey began at the United Center. The fan-favorite and ball-handling wizard was selected by the Cavaliers with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft and immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls. Only a few years removed from the Michael Jordan era, the Michigan standout was viewed as a key part of the franchise's rebuild.

While he initially struggled to find his footing in Chicago, Crawford improved over his time with the struggling team. His breakout season came during the 2003-04 campaign, where he averaged 17.3 points, 5.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals a night.

Jamal Crawford of the Los Angeles Clippers — Nov 24, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard Jamal Crawford (11) takes the court for the game against the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center. Clippers won 121-82. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

It was this same season that Crawford became known for his explosive scoring performance. With the Bulls limited on the offensive end, the guard had the car key and posted some impressive stat lines. Most notably, he dropped 50 points on the Toronto Raptors in an OT win. The guard shot 18-34 from the field and remains one of only six Bulls players to ever drop 50 points in a game (Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Jimmy Butler, Michael Jordan, Chet Walker).

Nevertheless, with the Bulls still on a fast track to nowhere, the team moved Crawford to the New York Knicks after four seasons. Following several more years of trying to become a clear-cut starter, Crawford began to settle into the role that would make him one of the league's most valuable assets.

Crawford became known as the quintessential sixth man by the start of the 2010s. He would take home the award three times over his career and finish Top 5 in voting six times. The guard earned one of those trophies during his time with the Atlanta Hawks, while the other two came during his five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers. Crawford was a significant part of the early Lob City teams built around Blake Griffin and Chris Paul.

What stands out most about Crawford's career, however, is his longevity. The guard proved to be one of the most durable players the league has ever seen, spending 20 seasons in the NBA. He also played 76+ games in half of those seasons, which included playing 82 contests at 36 years old (2016-17) and 80 contests at 37 years old (2017-18). As things currently stand, Crawford is Top 20 all-time in games played.

Crawford also became the oldest player in NBA history to drop 50 points during his 2018-19 campaign with the Phoenix Suns. In his last game of the regular season, he came in off the bench and shot 18-30 for 51 points at the age of 39.

If Crawford does end up making the cut and earning the spot, he will become the 14th Hall of Famer to have suited up for the Chicago Bulls, per Basketball-Reference. The most recent was Dwyane Wade, who was inducted in 2023 and played for the Bulls in 2016-17.

Crawford would also be only the fifth HOFer to start his NBA career in Chicago. He would join Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoc, Michael Jordan, and Artis Gilmore.