Offseason questions: Is Crowder ready to step in right away?
Earl K. Sneed writes that with an impressive showing this summer and a hungry attitude, Dallas Mavericks rookie Jae Crowder appears to be ready to help the team in his first year.
Offseason questions: Is Crowder ready to step in right away?
Learning from his father, Jonathan Corey Crowder, who played for four seasons in the NBA from 1991-95, Dallas Mavericks rookie Jae Crowder saw first-hand just what it takes to play at the next level.
And it was apparent to everyone that watched the rookie step foot on the court during last month’s Las Vegas Summer League that he is a different breed of cat, looking to make a name for himself now.
The third of the Mavericks’ draft acquisitions and 34th overall selection in June by way of a trade with Cleveland served notice to the rest of the NBA that he figures to be a steal for a franchise looking to rebound after having its title reign ended by a first-round playoff exit last season.
The 6-6, 235-pounder earned Big East Player of the Year honors as a senior at Marquette, filling up stat sheets nightly with averages of 17.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Crowder also starred on the defensive end, drawing comparisons to some of the league’s best perimeter defenders like Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace before ever playing one professional game.
Along with third-year guard Dominique Jones, Crowder carried the Mavs’ summer squad to a 4-1 record after averaging 16.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.0 steals a game in the five outings. Those numbers and a leadership displayed on a team full of young talent left Mavs defensive coordinator and summer league coach Monte Mathis saying nothing but positive things when asked about the rugged small forward.
“The one word I think of when I think of Jae Crowder is ‘winner.’ That’s the one thing I think of,” Mathis said with high praise for the first-year stud. “The effort, the competing, he’s just a winner and it’s contagious. Guys like that on your team are contagious for everybody else to pick up on.”
Now, however, Crowder will try to crack Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle’s rotation with an impressive showing this fall in training camp, looking to steal minutes away from the veterans ahead of him on the depth chart.
But the budding star seems to have already made a good first impression on Carlisle and the rest of the coaching staff. And after watching Crowder up close and personal, Carlisle couldn’t stop himself from raving about the possible addition of the 22-year-old swingman.
“Everybody loves this guy,” Carlisle proclaimed in an interview with NBA TV. “I mean, he is hard-playing, he has a great attitude, he’s always got an upbeat and positive vibe. He just goes at it hard. Again, he’s a guy that could play 3 and he can play a little bit of 4. So, we were very fortunate to be able to pick him up in the 30s in the draft and in the second round. And he’s gonna be on our team, we’re pretty confident of that.”
Still, Crowder will take a hungry approach into training camp while knowing that a roster spot isn’t guaranteed. And it’s that approach that he hopes will also lift him into a contributing role for a Mavericks team hoping to return to an elite status.
“I feel like this is a great situation for me. I’ve said that since Day 1 and since they made the trade,” Crowder explained. “I feel like this is a great organization and I can step up to the plate. Whatever they want me to do, I feel like I’m that guy to get the job done. I’m honored to be out here, playing like I don’t have a job. … I’m just like I’m hungry. I’m still hungry and I still want to fight. I’m a competitor and I let it show every day.”
