Crawford gift of generosity benefits Beach

Jamal Crawford remembers the first time he stepped on the hardwood in the Rainier Beach High School gymnasium back in 1997.

It was dark, dusty and dingy. He slipped and slid his way around.

Crawford, a member of the Class of 1999 at Rainier Beach who plays for the New York Knicks, put some shine back into the place by paying $100,000 to refurbish his alma mater's gymnasium.

Making good on a high-school promise to give back to his community if he made the riches of the NBA, the 25-year-old Crawford enjoyed perhaps the finest moment of his career Tuesday afternoon.

In an hour-long ceremony in front of the school's student body, Rainier Beach dedicated its new-look gym and unveiled it as Crawford Court.

"I talked about giving back when I was going here," said Crawford, who paid for the floor upgrade, new dynamic floor logo, electronic scoreboard, bench chairs, scorer's table, backboards and rims. "It was always my dream if I became successful to give back. But I didn't have to be a professional athlete.

"To me, this is bigger than scoring 50 points in a game, because it comes from the heart."

The 6-foot-5, 190-pound guard, who led Beach to its second Class 3A state title in 1998 before coming back as a fifth-year senior in '99, thanked school personnel, his parents – father Clyde Crawford and mother Venora Skinner – and close friends for providing the right message.

"One thing both of us said in high school was that we wouldn't forget where we came from if one of us made it," said David King, the inside presence on the 1998 title team and now a Beach assistant coach. "For him to do this, kind of shows here he come from.

"He came from nothing. He wants to give back to his community."

Another Rainier Beach alum and Knicks rookie teammate, Nate Robinson, made a brief appearance — showing up in his Knicks practice gear –— as a suit-and-tie Crawford christened the court with a layin near the end of the ceremony.

"There are some things [Crawford] beat me to," said Robinson, who left for the NBA after his junior year at Washington. "I don't want to forget where I came from. Jamal came from here. He's showing his love. He's giving back.

"If you keep giving back, you make the world a better place."

Robinson has donated $10,000 to sponsor Rainier Beach's Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) math program.

Crawford always said he'd give back to his roots should he get the chance. The Knicks guard did more than drop a few dimes, he delivered something that was clearly more important – a legacy.

He got his first glance at the new-look hardwood and was impressed.

"It's like a real court now," he said. "It can compete with anybody's [court]. When I first came here, you had to mop the court five or six times, it was so slippery. It had dust all over. It was a mess. But it was home for us. We called it ours.

"When I'm dead and gone, this place will still have my name on it," Crawford said. "That's something I'll cherish forever. It's a surreal feeling."

Almost every school official remembers Crawford telling them that when he reaches the NBA that he was going to give back. One official remembers Crawford, then a Parade High School All-American for two seasons, lifting the program to new heights.

"He had big dreams," said Robert Gary, Beach's current principal and former assistant principal when Crawford attended the school from 1997-99. "He told me he was going go to the NBA. He told me we were going to win a state title (in 1998).

"He'd talk to me during games. He'd say, 'Mr. G, watch this move. I'm going to do this.' He gave us thrills and chills. We saw moves we never saw before."

Crawford, averaging 13.6 points coming off the bench for the Knicks this season, has returned to Seattle during the summer after each of his five previous NBA seasons. He plans to enjoy some time playing on the like-new Crawford Court next summer.

"Nate and I were just talking about coming back and playing here," he said. "We'll be here this summer."

One of the proudest participants in the ceremony was Crawford's mother.

"I have to pinch myself," said Skinner. "He's done it. He's become a legend here and world-wide. He's a role model for kids everywhere.

"I told Jamal he's a rare jewel that I found this morning. Future generations can enjoy what he's done."

Rainier Beach boys basketball coach Mike Bethea won his first state title with Crawford running the show in 1998.

"In today's society, most young millionaires usually give from abundance," Bethea said. "What Jamal's done is give with his heart. You look around the gym and this is his heart and soul. He stays close to us."

Crawford credits his upbringing for his caring attitude toward others.

"You're not special just because you can make a basket," he said. "You're special because of how you treat people. It doesn't matter if you're a high-ranking official or a bum.

"I try to treat people the way I want to be treated. And, that's with respect."

Knicks play-by-play announcer Mike Breen said his 8-year-old son's favorite player is Crawford.

"That's his favorite player and it's not just because of the way he plays," Breen said during the ceremony. "It's the way he treats people."