James Crawford (basketball) facts for kids
| Power forward / Centre | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 13, 1960 Lower Peach Tree, Alabama, U.S. |
| High school | Pine Hill (Pine Hill, Alabama) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 214 lb (97 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1981 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1982–2003 |
| Career history | |
| 1982–1985 | Geelong Supercats |
| 1986 | Canberra Cannons |
| 1987–1999 | Perth Wildcats |
| 2003 | Canberra Cannons |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
James Crawford was a fantastic American basketball player. He was born on April 13, 1960. He played professional basketball in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) for many years, from 1982 to 2003. People especially remembered him for his powerful two-handed dunks!
Contents
Early Life and School
James Crawford was born in a place called Lower Peach Tree, Alabama. He went to Pine Hill High School in Pine Hill. Before he moved to Australia in 1981, he studied at two colleges. These were Livingston University and Cumberland College in Kentucky.
Playing Professional Basketball
James Crawford started his NBL career in 1982. He played for the Geelong Supercats for four seasons. After that, he joined the Canberra Cannons for one season in 1986.
Joining the Perth Wildcats
In 1987, James Crawford moved to the Perth Wildcats. He played for the Wildcats for 13 seasons. His last full season with them was in 1998–99. Even though he retired in 1999 because of an injury, he played one more NBL game. This was for the Canberra Cannons during the 2002–03 NBL season.
Amazing Scoring Records
While playing for the Wildcats in 1987, James Crawford had two games where he scored over 50 points! On September 6, 1987, he set a new scoring record for the Wildcats. He scored an amazing 57 points in a game against the Melbourne Tigers. The Wildcats won that game by 34 points.
He played for all 48 minutes of the game. He made 24 out of 36 shots from the field. His record of 57 points was the highest for the Wildcats for a long time. It stood until December 1, 2024, when another player, Bryce Cotton, scored 59 points.
Championship Wins and Awards
James Crawford was a very important player for the Perth Wildcats. He helped them win three NBL championships. These wins happened in 1990, 1991, and 1995.
He also received many individual awards. He was chosen for the NBL's All-First Team four times. These years were 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1987.
Career Statistics and Honors
James Crawford played a total of 504 NBL games. A large number of these, 371 games, were for the Wildcats. He scored 11,121 points in his career. This means he averaged about 22.1 points per game.
He also grabbed 4,794 rebounds during his career. That's about 9.5 rebounds per game. He also blocked 788 shots, which is about 1.5 blocks per game. He was recognized as one of the best players in NBL history. He was named to the NBL (Australia) 20th Anniversary Team in 1998. Later, he was also named to the NBL (Australia) 25th Anniversary Team in 2004.
In 2013, James Crawford was honored again. He was named to the Perth Wildcats 30th Anniversary All-Star team. He was also inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame. This means he is recognized as one of the greatest basketball players in Australian history.
As of today, James Crawford's jersey number 7 is retired by the Perth Wildcats. This is a special honor, meaning no other player on the team will wear that number. He is one of only eight players to have their number retired by the Wildcats.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, James Crawford also spent some time coaching. He was the head coach for the Perth Breakers during the 2000–01 WNBL season.
Career Highlights
| NBL career: | 1982–1999, 2003 |
|---|---|
| Perth Wildcats MVP: | 4 (1987, 1988, 1990, 1992) |
| NBL Grand Final appearances: | 6 (1982, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995) |
| NBL Championships: | 3 (1990, 1991, 1995) |
| All-NBL First Team: | 4 (1982, 1983, 1984, 1987) |
| NBL 20th Anniversary Team: | 1998 |
| NBL 25th Anniversary Team: | 2003 |
NBL Career Statistics
| Games Played: | 504 (105 for Geelong, 28 for Canberra, 371 for Perth) |
|---|---|
| Total Points: | 11,121 (22.1 points per game) |
| Field Goals Made: | 4,572 out of 8,361 attempts (54.7% success) |
| 3-Pointers Made: | 18 out of 83 attempts (21.7% success) |
| Free Throws Made: | 1,959 out of 2,856 attempts (68.6% success) |
| Total Rebounds: | 4,794 (9.5 rebounds per game) |
| Assists per Game: | 1.8 |
| Steals per Game: | 1.1 |
| Total Blocked Shots: | 788 (1.6 blocks per game) |
