March 20 NBA Birthdays: Jamal Crawford and More
With over 5,000 players in NBA history, at least one player was born on every day of the calendar year – including three leap day ballers. Today, we highlight notable NBA players born on March 20.
Jamal Crawford (1980)
“Jamal Crawford carved out an incredible 20-year career despite starting just 433 out of 1,327 games.”
Known as ‘J-Crossover’ for his exceptional handles, Crawford was drafted eighth overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers but traded to the Chicago Bulls on draft day. After finding his form, Crawford averaged 17.3 points per game in 2004 and became a dominant bench player, winning the Sixth Man of the Year award three times between the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers.
Throughout his career, Crawford became the only player in NBA history with 50-point games for four franchises and leads all players in four-point plays. He officially retired in 2020 after brief stints with Minnesota, Phoenix, and Brooklyn.
Pat Riley (1945)
“It’s rare that a player who carved out a nine-year career is more successful in a management role, but that shows how special Pat Riley has been over the last 50-plus years.”
Selected seventh overall in the 1967 NBA Draft out of Kentucky, Riley spent his first three seasons with the San Diego Rockets before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 1970. He averaged a career-best 11 points and 2.6 assists with 1.8 rebounds in 1975 and played his final season with the Phoenix Suns in 1976.
After winning a championship with the Lakers in 1972, Riley became a coaching sensation, guiding the Lakers to four championships between 1981 and 1989. He then grabbed another championship with the Miami Heat in 2006 and has been Miami’s team president since 1995.
Other Notable Players Born on March 20
- Belus Smawley (1918)
- Wyndol Gray (1922)
- John Barnhill (1938)
- Bob Warlick (1941)
- Bobby Lewis (1945)
- Derreck Dickey (1951)
- Jimmy Conner (1953)
- Phil Walker (1956)
- Leo Rautins (1960)
- Mookie Blaylock (1967)
- Ronnie Brewer (1985)
- Jon Brockman (1987)
- JaKarr Sampson (1993)
- Jamal Cain (1999)
Did you know?
Jamal Crawford is the only player in NBA history with 50-point games for four different franchises.
Pro Tip
Want to learn more about these legendary players? Check out their career highlights and statistics on Basketball Reference.
Call to Action
Which player born on March 20 impressed you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below!