OAK PARK ALUM INKS WITH D1 SCHOOL FOR HOOPS SCHOLARSHIP, MAKES IT THREE STRAIGHT FOR HIS FAMILY

Mama Crawford must be beaming with pride these days. It's understandable. She just placed her third son in a Division I basketball program.

This past Thursday, former Oakland County prep hoops star Jalen Crawford signed a National Letter of Intent with Bradley University of the Missouri Valley Conference. Crawford graduated from Oak Park in 2010 and spent last season playing ball at a Nevada prep school getting his grades in order.

The long and lean 6-foot-3 combo guard follows in the footsteps of his older brothers, Joe (Detroit Renaissance-Kentucky) and Jordan (Detroit CMA-Xavier/Indiana), who both had accomplished careers on the collegiate hardwood. Joe led his high school team to a perfect 27-0 record and a state title in 2004 and was a NBA second-round draft pick in 2008, having since had a few cups of coffee in the League with the NY Knicks and the Sacramento Kings. Jordan was a first-round NBA Draft pick last year and is currently and up-and-comer in the League with the Washington Wizards.

A two-year starter in the backcourt at Oak Park, Jalen is a heady and well-rounded playmaker when let loose on the floor, just like his big bros. Unfortunately, he flew under the radar as a local prepster due to his Knights failing to win a lot of games. As a senior, he averaged 23 points, five assists and four rebounds per game and joined forces with swingman Kenny Harper to make up one of the area's most prolific scoring duos on a team many claimed was the best last place team in the state(competing in the rough and rugged OAA Red).

Jalen selected Bradley over a half-dozen other D1 offers, including ones from big time programs like Providence and Xavier. During his high school days, Jalen played for George Ward, who as the sideline general at Detroit Southeastern in 2011, led his team to both a PSL championship and a trip to the Class A state finals.

 

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