Jordan Crawford Discusses His Controversial Dunk on LeBron James

Jordan Crawford supposedly dunked on LeBron James a couple of days ago. And, after the dunk was filmed, Nike senior director Lynn Merritt supposedly, ahem, requested the tape of LeBron being dunked on, presumably because having a global icon embarrassed by a college student is bad for his brand. Or something of that nature.

Fox Sports' Jeff Goodman was able to catch up with Crawford and discuss the controversy surrounding the dunk, since, according to some sources, LeBron wasn't giving "100%" on the play.

"I was on the right wing and went down the middle. I got past Danny Green and LeBron was waiting under the basket. I don't think he thought I was going to dunk it, so he jumped late. It was two-handed."

Crawford said he didn't fully realize what he had done until afterwards.

"Not during the game, but I was geeked afterwards about it. Everyone was talking about it."

See, I think Crawford's attitude about the whole thing might be a perfect microcosm of what everyone's going through in this whole semi-traveshamockery of a freak-fest that's become the "LeBron Got Dunked On" media affair. It really wasn't that big a deal, apparently -- hell, even Crawford wasn't getting that amped up during the game -- but because of the buzz that started building afterwards, everyone's all literally a-Twitter about how Nike is trying to cover up 'Bron getting cacked on.

The smart move, of course, is to just let the video surface and run its natural course. Or, alternately, instead of just taking the video, pay the camera man $10,000 to hand it over. It could have been that easy. OR, and this might be crazy, but what about a "Witness: Mortality" commercial? "Because Even Kings Can Be Human Sometimes Too." It's endearing, it's honest and, frankly, would have been refreshing. (Yes, I know, sometimes I think I'm in the wrong business too.)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

7-08-2009 @ 4:41PM

fouritiswritten said...

it was really serena williams with her head shaved

7-08-2009 @ 4:54PM

Michael gifford said...

so let me get this straight...lebron gets dunked on and there might actually be people who would be upset by it being shown??? so what if he's dunked on...what is he, God? oh yes, that's what his acolytes think of him, "witness" yup...the King...invincible...yup....and what happened to the ring this year? uhm...nope...seems the King needs a team to play with....what happened to all the mock photos and playing around during first round of playoffs...out the window when they started losing to Magic...seems the invincible one is also so petty he can't congratulate his rival on court after a series..."you don't congratulate someone who just beat you on the playground"...except...a. he didn't beat you up, and b. it's not a playground, its a professional level of sport...but then it would appear that only golf and tennis have that level of class athlete...NBa is too full of people being "disrespected" by someone else's success. and while that's not the global assessment of all personnel, it does have a lot of traction, read, brandon jennings...
so, the king is not invincible, is petty and a sore loser, and now, his handlers think it unwise to seem him as not the master of defense...too bad...for him and everyone who looks up to the paragon that has to be sheltered in this way...

7-08-2009 @ 5:40PM

sonchopanza said...

God? Yes he is THE God of the NBA. Get used to it. The WORST thing he's done to date is NOT shake hands after a game, wooopy doo. Did he rape anybody? Drive while intoxicated? Domestic violence? This kid owns the NBA and knows it. He lives a life of a rock star, like it or not LeBron James is the greatest and most famous basketball player on the planet

7-08-2009 @ 5:29PM

hilyb said...

He was wearing ADIDAS

7-08-2009 @ 5:48PM

jody said...

Daaaammmnnn! that has to be rough for the kid who doesnt have a ring yet. I think he needs a smoke and a nice big plate of cookies :-)

http://tinyurl.com/cfc5fw

7-08-2009 @ 6:00PM

jacob said...

1. There is alot of noise about this on pure speculation of motives - no quotes from anyone, related to the "confiscation".

"supposedly, ahem, requested the tape of LeBron being dunked on, presumably because having a global icon embarrassed by a college student is bad for his brand"

keywords - supposedly, presumably...

2. Nike, is probably extremely sensitive about anyone using footage of their events, and especially one like this that would be highly viewed.

3. Lebron has been dunked on before, and so has every single other player. I highly doubt Lebron, would find this a threat to his manhood / ego. So even if "presumably" and "supposedly" Lynn Merritt thought it would be good to confiscate, why come down on Lebron for it? Why not attack Lynn Merritt for it.

Lebron is young, very young, and is learning to be a big man. He has mentally overcome an immense amount of hype, and came into a league as a young boy and did incredibly well. Does he borderline on too cocky? Perhaps, most people's ego would have self destructed at this point with his level of success. Is he young an learning to be a sportsman still? Of course he is, he's still a boy, a boy with an entire world of expectations to live up to... not only does he have to be the leagues best player, but now he has to be the leagues best sportsman because he is so high profile. If Lebron continues to overcome and conquer we have only begun to see the champion he will become.

7-08-2009 @ 7:10PM

kyle said...

LeBron called over Lynn Merritt after it happened and said something to him about it. Also, there were no rules set about recording anything during the camp, and no one said anything to the cameramen until AFTER LeBron got dunked on.

7-08-2009 @ 11:33PM

kmgolf said...

Incorrect Kyle. The pick-up games occur during after-hours at the camp. During this time, videotaping and interviewing are not allowed.

7-08-2009 @ 6:12PM

jmaneuv011 said...

Who cares? It's even less important than a bd play in the all star game

7-08-2009 @ 6:36PM

"God? Yes he is THE God of the NBA. Get used to it"

And therein lies the problem with the entire perception....Lebron is merely a basketball player. He hasn't brought world peace, discovered penicilin, saved the poor or stopped AIDs...he just plays the game well...that's it...and, for some reason, people have a dysfunctional need to elevate him in their eyes...he IS talented and enormously so...he IS hardworking, clearly, he is apparently ( I say apparently since I have no true experience of his finances or his private life )a good person...

however, it's pathetic to worship ANY human being regardless of skill, character or gifts...he is after all, still putting his pants one leg at a time...even if his pants are more expensive than most...

it brings to mind the poem Ozymandias... look it up if you don't know about it, in the meantime, by all means, continue to worhsip your "God" apparently you need to, and maybe, just maybe your "God" will bestow some blessing on you, though somehow I doubt it...

7-08-2009 @ 6:37PM

oh, and one addition about your "God"...apparently he's not powerful to win a championship by himself...so much for "God"

7-18-2009 @ 11:31PM

kj12 said...

your just jealous cuz everything u can do he can do ALOT better, and no one worships him they just look up to him because hes the best at what he does

7-08-2009 @ 9:00PM

I'm telling you he WAS wearing ADIDAS... nike does not want thier flagship neing dunkrd on by a reular mortal wearing thier competiton's shoes...what a GREAT ad for ADIDAS
ALL DAY I DUNK on A SUPERSTAR

7-08-2009 @ 9:04PM

I hope this doesent post twice...

Im telling toy he was wearing adidas and nike doesen't want thier "flagship" hetting dunked on by a mortal in adidas...think of the ad
All Day I Dunk on A Superstar

7-09-2009 @ 1:03AM

WOODSUR said...

every NBA PLAYER has been dunk on this just shows u how lbj really rolls he does not like looking bad,look at his bad sportsmanship in the playoff the king yeah right give me a break tell nike to stop making little kids make their shoes 4 a bowl of rice u morons who worship these idoits go be a witness 2 that or live in that dump cleveland a cheer 4 those losers

7-09-2009 @ 4:26PM

andybo429 said...

What are they gonna confiscate next?

http://realfakesports.blogspot.com/2009/07/nike-confiscates-home-video-of-5-year.html

7-10-2009 @ 9:33AM

onepschyorican said...

He is good but deffinately not the greatest player on planet what crack are you smoking

7-10-2009 @ 9:50AM

huntingtonbeach5 said...

Someone please explain...I'm not into sports all that much but curious as to what this story is about. "What is being dunked on." etc.....For some reason this story has caught my curiosity and at the same time have no idea what everyone is talking. Please explain???

7-10-2009 @ 4:45PM

Earl said...

for real?

7-10-2009 @ 4:52PM

uh...the commenter said he was a God in the NBA - not in life...so WHY are you asking if he brought world peace or if he's curing diseases?? you may need to take a step back, and humble your inclination to lecture others.

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