Jamal Crawford 'just happy to sub in' for Walt Frazier as MSG Networks analyst for select Knicks games

Jamal Crawford played for nine teams in his 20 NBA seasons, but he has jerseys from only two of them hanging in his office in Seattle: the Knicks and Clippers.

For a guy who spent only parts of five years with the Knicks in the 2000s — and never enjoyed a winning season with them — he was and remains a fan favorite.

“It’s weird,” he said on Tuesday, “because when I walk around [the city], it's almost like I played there last year versus almost going on two decades ago.”

Now Crawford will be back in Knicks fans’ lives in a new way. He will fill in for Walt Frazier as an MSG Networks analyst for select games this season.

It began Wednesday in Phoenix, one of three games Crawford will work on the team’s road swing. He also will be in Utah on Saturday and Denver on Monday.

“The Knicks for me have always been family,” he said on a call with two New York reporters, including Newsday. “It was their idea.”

Crawford, who last played as a Net in 2020, got good reviews working games for TNT last season and now is “all in” for an extended career in media.

That could mean more national work as the NBA’s new TV contracts kick in next season, but for now it means the Knicks.

“Obviously, nobody, nobody, nobody is Walt ‘Clyde,’ " Crawford said. “He is one of one. Whether it's moving and grooving or any one of his sayings, he's a treasure. So I’m just happy to sub in for him and have some fun with it.”

Frazier will turn 80 in March, so if he continues to cut back in coming seasons, there might be more opportunities for others.

“I'm not looking at that far, to be honest with you,” Crawford said. “I'm just happy to be in the mix.”

Crawford, 44, is a three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year. In five seasons as a Knick from 2004-05 to 2008-09, he averaged 17.6 points and 4.4 assists. He averaged a career-high 20.6 points in 2007-08.

Crawford is the only player in NBA history with 50-point games for four different franchises (Bulls in 2004, Knicks in 2007, Golden State in 2008 and Suns in 2019). In the 2019 game, he became the oldest player in NBA history to score 50 points at 39 years and 20 days old, topping Michael Jordan's record of 38 years and 315 days old. Crawford, who had 51 points in that game, also surpassed Nick Anderson's record for most points scored off the bench, with Anderson putting up 50 in 1993.

He still gets warm ovations when he returns to Madison Square Garden.

“It means everything,” he said. “One thing I take pride in, to be honest with you, is when I was playing, I was one of the only, I think, guys that didn't get booed in almost five years.

“I took that like a badge of honor because I laid it on the line every night. I wasn't the perfect player. I definitely had my flaws. But they can tell I was playing with my heart. I left it on the court every single time. I never cheated the game.”

Crawford worked with Mike Breen for the Suns game and will do so again for the Nuggets games. He will work with Knicks radio play-by-play man Tyler Murray in Utah.

Murray, 34, welcomed Crawford by reminding him of his game-winning shot in Denver in 2006 — which followed a Crawford turnover followed by a Crawford steal. Murray called that one of his favorite moments as a young fan.

“He’s an icon,” Murray said. “He’s one of the coolest basketball players ever.”

Crawford said “the sky’s the limit” for the current Knicks. He has a particular connection to Jalen Brunson, whom Crawford has known since Brunson was a child and Crawford played with Jalen’s father, Rick, in Chicago.

Both wore No. 11 as Knicks. Crawford said Brunson has elevated their number to a new level.

“It’s been unbelievable; it's been incredible,” Crawford said. “It's been fun to watch Jalen.”

Crawford said fans were supportive even for the non-playoff Knicks of his era. Now the full potential of that support has been unleashed by a winning team.

“I'm so happy that these guys get to experience that,” he said. “A little jealous in that standpoint, wishing I could have played on a really good team. But I'm happy for these guys.”

The breadth of Crawford’s NBA experiences and connections in the past 25 years is extraordinary, and he believes those relationships will serve him well as an announcer. The guy knows pretty much everyone.

“I'm so connected to these generations, from the past to the present to the future to the future’s future,” he said. “I think that's a sweet spot to be in, because I've got relationships with everybody on every level.

“I think that's how you stay connected to the game but also get knowledge to give that to the next generation as well.”

By Neil Best

neil.best@newsday.com@sportswatch

Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.