Jamal Crawford is widely regarded as one of the best sixth men in NBA history. While he never earned an All-Star selection, he won Sixth Man of the Year in 2010, 2014, and 2016.
Crawford was known for his scoring ability and his skill in one-on-one situations. With that in mind, some were curious about who he believes would excel in a one-on-one matchup.
Jamal Crawford Names Kevin Durant as His Pick to Win an NBA 1-on-1 Tournament
In a recent interview, Crawford was asked which players he would like to see in a one-on-one tournament. The question stemmed from criticism of this year’s dunk contest, with reporters suggesting the association could replace it with a one-on-one competition.
Crawford listed several players he would want in the hypothetical contest.
“Oh, KD (Kevin Durant), Kyrie (Irving), if he’s healthy, Anthony Edwards, Giannis (Antetokounmpo), Steph Curry, LeBron (James), then I would throw like a Bones Hyland in there,” Crawford said. “Somebody that’s not as known but somebody I know has game. That would be really cool to see.”
When asked who he thought would win, Crawford was direct.
“KD,” Crawford said. “I think he’s the perfect mixture of size and skill.”
I asked Jamal Crawford if he thinks the NBA season is too long. @AltitudeTV #NBAAllStar26 pic.twitter.com/8RR2rd2fQv
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) February 15, 2026
For context, rumors of a potential one-on-one tournament circulated last year. The idea was to either replace the dunk contest or add it to All-Star Saturday.
Reports suggested the format might debut this year, but nothing materialized. Recent coverage indicates there is no confirmation on whether NBA Commissioner Adam Silver still plans to introduce the event.
Sources note the inspiration came from the women’s basketball Unrivaled league. Founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the league introduced a one-on-one tournament with a $300,000 prize pool.
Previous reports indicated that if the NBA were to launch its own version, it would likely follow a similar format to Unrivaled’s, but with a larger prize pool. Per Front Office Sports, the league is weighing the idea of launching the event with a $1 million grand prize. The report noted the format is still being refined, though early details point to a possible 16-player bracket.
This year’s All-Star Weekend just wrapped up, and the 3-Point Contest and the All-Star Game drew wide interest and praise, but the Slam Dunk Contest fell flat with underwhelming performances and lowlights, as Keshad Johnson won without registering a perfect 50 dunk.
