Jalen Crutcher

Jalen Crutcher's Biography

Jalen Crutcher, born on July 18, 1999, is a commendable American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Birmingham Squadron of the NBA G League. Before his professional career, he showcased his skills in college basketball, playing for the Dayton Flyers. Born and brought up in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, he is the proud son of Greg and Sheila Crutcher.

Crutcher’s journey to the world of basketball began at Ridgeway High School, where he proved himself to be a formidable player. As a senior, he showcased his inherent talent – averaging 18 points, four assists and two steals per game. Despite his striking performances, he was considered a three-star recruit and was ranked as the 65th best point guard in his class.

He originally committed to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga but had a change of heart when coach Matt McCall moved to coach UMass. That’s when Anthony Grant, the Dayton Flyers coach, spotted his talent and spent no time in signing him up. It wasn’t that Crutcher wasn’t attracting interest from elsewhere, with teams like Murray State actively recruiting him, but he chose Dayton.

In his debut year at the college, he quickly became a mainstay of the team, starting 22 games and making quite an impact. With averages of 9.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, the promising freshman was pivotal in helping the team to a 14-17 finish. His performance didn’t go unnoticed; Crutcher was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.

His game only improved as a sophomore when he was third on the team in scoring (13.2 points per game) and was second in the Atlantic 10 in assists with 5.7 per game. His contributions were instrumental in aiding the team to finish with a 21-12 record and advance to the NIT semifinals. His solid performance earned him the honor of being named the team MVP along with securing a spot in the Third Team All-Atlantic 10.

Despite narrowly losing the 2019 Maui Invitational Tournament to Kansas, Crutcher left fans and critics impressed when he struck a crucial three-pointer in the last seconds of the game to force an overtime. He also hit headlines when he scored 21 points and netted the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer against Saint Louis, resulting in a 78-76 victory in overtime.

In his steady rise as a player, Crutcher also experienced some memorable moments. In one game against Duquesne, he notched up 18 points and crossed the 1,000 point mark in his career. He also scored a career-high 24 points in one game, and even went on to bag the Atlantic 10 player of the week award twice in succession. The honors rolled in at the end of the regular season when he was named to the First Team All-Atlantic 10.

After his college career, he declared for the 2020 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility. On August 2, he announced he would be withdrawing his name from the draft and returning to Dayton for his senior season. During his last regular season, he was named for the second time to the First Team All-Atlantic 10.

Upon declaring for the 2021 NBA Draft and hiring an agent, Crutcher thus waved goodbye to any further eligibility granted by the NCAA. Despite not being drafted in the NBA, he wasn’t disheartened and joined the Milwaukee Bucks for the 2021 NBA Summer League. He briefly signed with the Charlotte Hornets and later with the Greensboro Swarm as an affiliate player.

In September 2023, Crutcher moved to the Birmingham Squadron and signed with the New Orleans Pelicans the following month. However, he was released shortly after and returned to the Squadron. In February 2024, he signed a 10-day contract with the Pelicans and made his NBA debut before returning to Birmingham. He rejoined the Pelicans in September 2024, but the stint was again short-lived, eventually resulting in him rejoining the Birmingham Squadron once more in October.

Crutcher’s journey so far exemplifies not only his skills but determination and resilience that have seen him rise through the ranks and etch a name for himself in the competitive world of professional basketball. His consistency, teamwork, and impressive performances make him a fitting inspiration for upcoming basketball aspirants.