'The window rolls down, and it's Jay' - Jamal Crawford shares the story of meeting the legendary Jay-Z for the first time

With basketball and hip-hop so closely intertwined, it's no surprise that many NBA players are also avid fans of rap music. Many grew up listening to Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., and Nas, often finding inspiration in their lyrics and rhymes. One such player was three-time Sixth Man of the Year winner Jamal Crawford, and he recently recalled the moment he first met hip-hop icon Jay-Z out on the street, of all places.

Caught Jamal off-guard

During his prime, Crawford was one of the league's best scorers. A 6'5" guard with a bag of offensive tricks deeper than the Mariana Trench, he could embarrass defenders on any given night. And with his lofty reputation in the Association, Jamal was no stranger to different kinds of defenses being thrown at him. Safe to say: nothing surprised the combo guard anymore.

However, nothing could prepare him for the sight of Jay-Z on the street.

"I'm walking to Wes (New York Knicks Executive Vice President – Senior Basketball Advisor William Wesley). He's standing outside the car, and I'm not realizing that it just looks like any other car on the street," Jamal said. "When I get to Wes, about two feet from him, the window rolls down, and it's Jay. And I said, 'Oh sh*t!' I'm like, 'Oh, that's my God!' So it caught me off guard."

Shortly after, Crawford recalled seeing the legendary rapper and his wife, the iconic Beyoncé, visiting a packed Hoops The Gym to watch games featuring him and Michael Jordan.

The start of a friendship

For a time, the former Michigan Wolverine was a Reebok athlete. Coincidentally, Jay-Z also inked an endorsement deal with the sneaker and apparel brand, which led to his getting a signature shoe. As the story goes, Crawford was one of the first people to get his hands on the shoes and certainly the first to rock it on an NBA floor.

"Funny story: So Jalen Rose and I always got Reeboks. We were both Reebok athletes. And I looked over at my locker—I had, like, a box. It was black and gray. I looked at his locker, seeing as we had the same stuff. He didn't have them. I said, 'What are these?' And I open it up, it's the S. Carters. I'm like, 'Oh sh*t!'" Jamal exclaimed.

From that point on, Crawford wore Jay-Z's sneakers in every game he played. His relationship with the popular rapper grew even deeper to the point where he even got and donned a "Roc" chain—a symbol of the Roc-A-Fella record label started by Shawn Carter. It's safe to say that Jamal and Jay now share a bond "JCrossover" never imagined possible during his childhood in Seattle, Washington.