LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Lakeside’s very own Kamal Muhammad ’22 — these are just a few of the athletes who have played at The CrawsOver, a summer basketball league sponsored by Seattle NBA legend Jamal Crawford.
A pro-am (professional-amateur) league, The CrawsOver attracts players ranging from the NBA’s biggest stars to local college talent like Muhammad. It hosts games every other weekend during July and August at Seattle Pacific University, and entry is free, giving everyone a chance to witness the high-level hoops.
Muhammad, a two-time All-Metro League selection who will play at Eastern Oregon University next year, grew up attending the games with his dad, who was also his basketball trainer. “I would go there and I’d get Jamal Crawford’s autograph. I’d get Spencer Hawes autograph. I’d get all the NBA players I could,” he says.
Now, Muhammad has made it from the stands to the court. He believes that he was invited to play in The CrawsOver because of his strong high school career playing for Lakeside and Seattle Rotary, an elite AAU program. “I think that my game has spoken for itself,” says Muhammad. “I’m very fortunate because now I get to play against NBA players and guys at the highest level … that level that I want to get to.”
In one of his games, Muhammad played against Milwaukee Bucks forward MarJon Beauchamp. Beauchamp racked up 83 points in the contest, the most ever in CrawsOver history.
“How many basketball players get the chance to say that they’ve watched somebody score that efficiently and that effectively and that many times?” says Muhammad. “The fact that I’ve been able to see that means that I can take bits and pieces from it and grow myself … Just hats off to MarJon,” he says.
On another weekend, Muhammad played with former Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ Elleby. The next, he stayed after his game to watch Jonathan Kuminga and Gary Payton II — players from his favorite team, the Golden State Warriors — throw down dazzling dunks.
Besides encountering NBA stars, Muhammad’s favorite part of playing in The CrawsOver is trying to improve week-to-week. “In between the weeks of The CrawsOver, I’m in the gym getting my shots up [and] working on my cardio … It’s nice to come in a week later and see [if] my stats improved,” he says.
For Lakeside athletes hoping to improve at their sport, Muhammad has one piece of advice: “You’ve got to seek out ways to play against people who are better than you.” Whether that means facing NBA and college talent at The CrawsOver like Muhammad or simply challenging a friend to a game of one-on-one in the Fieldhouse, he encourages student-athletes of all levels to keep working hard.
Next year, Muhammad is “beyond excited” to continue improving his game at Eastern Oregon University. But when he visits home, expect to find him in the stands of the Paul G. Allen Athletics Center. “I see a really bright future for Lakeside basketball and that’s me really speaking honestly,” he says. “I’m just excited to be able to sit back one day, look at those guys wearing a Lakeside Lions jersey, and watch them play and put on a show.”
Muhammad’s team, Washington’s Finest, went 5–3, winning The CrawsOver championship on August 27.
