Tyran Stokes is arriving at Kansas with plenty of eyes on him, but one of the most important voices in his corner has been there for years. Before he ever got to Lawrence, former NBA guard Jamal Crawford was already helping shape the way Stokes handled the game, the work and everything around it.
Crawford’s influence goes back to when Stokes was still in eighth grade, and the relationship only grew once Stokes moved to Seattle and played at Rainier Beach High School. Crawford, a three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year who spent 20 seasons in the league, has stayed in close contact with the Kansas freshman and kept tabs on his progress along the way.
Stokes said Crawford reaches out regularly by text, checking in on how things are going and making sure he is keeping up with his responsibilities. The advice, Stokes said, comes from someone who has seen just about everything.
"He played in the league for 20 years, so he got everything,"
Stokes said he takes Crawford’s words seriously and sees him as both a mentor and a model for how to carry himself.
Their bond also deepened at Rainier Beach, where Crawford worked as an assistant coach and his son, JJ Crawford, was a teammate of Stokes. That group helped lead the program to a Washington state championship during the 2025-26 season.
Crawford has made it clear he thinks highly of Stokes, too. After Rainier Beach won the state title, he posted his thoughts on Instagram, adding another public show of support for the young forward.
He also spoke about Stokes at the Jordan Brand Classic, pointing to his energy and competitiveness as something that stands out. Crawford said Stokes pushed the level of competition higher.
Kansas coach Bill Self and his staff will handle the on-court development now, but Crawford has already done something just as valuable: helping build a foundation around Stokes that reaches beyond basketball.
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