Bigger and Better Crawford Eager to Return

December 5, 2001

Jamal Crawford says he was playing the best basketball of his life before tearing his ACL this past summer.

Bulls.com: Talk a little bit about the workout schedule you are currently on.

Jamal Crawford: On a normal day, I usually come to the Berto Center around 9:30 or 10:00 in the morning. I start by getting warmed up on the bike or the stair master and then get right into the rehab. It alternates from day to day on what type of workout I have: on Monday, Wednesday and Friday I work on agility; on Tuesday and Thursday it's strength. After that I lift weights. Lately I've been shooting around more and more.

I'm really working hard to get my whole body stronger. Right now I'm weighing in around 192 pounds and it's as big as I've ever been. After the surgery I only weighed 168. So I've put on close to 30 pounds and most of it is muscle.

Bulls.com: Is it safe to say that some positives will come from this injury?

Crawford: I think that this injury is a blessing in disguise. I don't know if I would have hit the weights as hard this year if I had not gotten hurt. The rehab has been the toughest thing I've ever gone though--it's been both mentally and physically challenging.

Bulls.com: Do you have a specific trainer to help you with the rehab?

Crawford: I've been working with a bunch of people up here. [Bulls' Head Athletic Trainer] Fred Tedeschi has helped me out a lot and I work out a lot with [Assistant Athletic Trainer] Eric Waters, too. I've also been spending a lot of time with Eric Helland [Strength and Conditioning Coach] and the rest of the guys here. They've all made this process go very well for me.

You might not recognize J.C. the next time he's on the court--he's bulked up to a muscular 192 pounds compared to 168 last season.

Bulls.com: What kind of relationship have you had with Coach Tim Floyd and his staff these last few months?

Crawford: I definitely stay in close touch with all of the coaches. When the team practices, I'm usually down there watching from the side. The coaches are always checking up on me, too, to see how I'm doing. It's nice to know that they still care, even though I'm not playing right now. I talk with Mr. Krause, too. Today we talked about things for over two hours and it's always good to talk with him.

Bulls.com: What else have you done besides the weight training?

Crawford: I'm now able to do different kinds of running--backwards running, defensive shuffles, straight ahead running--anything to help me get as healthy as possible. The true test will come when I start making cuts because they put the most pressure on your knee. There are different stages of rehab and the one I'm in now is the last one before I return to playing. So I'm getting there.

Bulls.com: How's your jumper these days?

Crawford: My shot is feeling really good. I've definitely increased my range and that's due to the extra strength from the work with the weights. I'm very excited about that.

Bulls.com: Let's talk timeframe… any idea when we might see you back on the court?

Crawford: I still feel like I will be back before the end of this season. You don't want to come back too quickly, but I want to get out there and help the team. I can't wait to be out there doing what I love to do. Hopefully, I will be soon.

Bulls.com: Rumors were running wild this summer about your play at Hoops Gym here in Chicago. There were several reports that you were lighting it up during those pick-up games with MJ. How would you say you played?

Crawford: This summer was kind of weird for me because I experienced something I had never felt before. I could actually feel my game elevating to another level. All the shots I took seemed like they were going in. I had a much better understanding of the pro game. I was playing against All-Star players and Jordan, the best player, and those things all helped my confidence that much more. Learning from him was a great experience.

Bulls.com: Was there a certain aspect of your game you think you improved the most?

Crawford says he can't wait to play with Tyson Chandler and the Bulls other new additions.

Crawford: Mid-range shots. I'm kind of a fancy player but when I was playing with those guys you had to give up the ball a lot. I got really good at taking one dribble and pulling up for a shot or making that pass to create. This summer was definitely the best I've ever played.

Bulls.com: There was also a story that one team had you and Jordan as the guard tandem. Word on the street was that you two led your squad to win 10 consecutive games… any truth to that?

Crawford: Yeah, that number actually increased to 23 or 24.

Bulls.com: Obviously from a basketball standpoint you benefited from the games at Hoops Gym. Did you learn things off the court as well?

Crawford: I learned so much, just from the way they carried themselves. With Jordan, even when he was playing his t-shirt was tucked in perfectly. That was the way he always was.

I'm still learning a lot of different things about being a professional. Last year I didn't feel like I was a professional player. It didn't seem like I was in the NBA [already]. Then, in the summer, things changed and now I feel more like I belong and that I am a professional. I feel that now I am a guy other players and kids can look up to and last year I didn't think that at all. I try to learn by watching other professionals because I know that will make me better. You can never stop learning.

Bulls.com: When you do return for the Bulls, you'll be playing along side a completely different team than last year's. How do you feel about stepping on to the court with the likes of Eddie Robinson, Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry?

Crawford: We can't wait to play with each other. We are all really excited and once this team has E-Rob, Artest and myself back, things will be good. We haven't played with our whole team yet and once we do, we know we are going to get a lot better. They all like to run and I love to pass--it will be fun.

Bulls.com: What's your take on how Tyson and Eddy are progressing?

Crawford: It's going to take them some time because it's a huge adjustment. They are coming from being in high school to playing the best players in the world. They are both going to be great players; it just takes time. I always tell them, 'Just because you aren't always playing, doesn't mean you can't keep learning and working on improving your game.' [Management] didn't draft them that high or give up Elton Brand if they didn't think they were going to be great.

-- Adam Fluck, Bulls.com