Most have now turned their minds to thoughts of a refreshing shower, or to the lunch that is about to refuel their tired, hungry bodies.

But one of the team’s newest imports, Jordon Crawford, is still on the court, smashing out three-point shooting drills with assistant coach Mark Radford.

Watching him sink shot after shot, as he competes against a stopwatch, it’s clear that the 33-year-old pocket rocket – who at 168cm is one of the shortest players in NBL history – is determined, focused and is not taking his new role as the JackJumpers’ much-talked-about point guard lightly.

When Crawford finally puts the ball down and approaches for our chat – grinning and dripping in sweat – he confesses he’s not always the last man off the court at training.

But as he’s recently stepped into a new team, with a new coach to impress, new teammates to get to know, a new league of fans to win over and plenty to prove to himself, Crawford is determined to ensure everything about his game is as perfect as it can be, as the JackJumpers prepare for their first regular season game against Perth Wildcats on Friday, September 29, as the NBL 2023/24 season gets underway.

After two years of the JackJumpers defying all expectations and making it to finals, but missing out on the coveted championship, Crawford is one of the newest recruits being brought in to shake up and strengthen the already-strong Tassie team.

When the JackJumpers announced Crawford as part of the line-up in June this year, it was promised that he would provide “explosive scoring” and “leadership” within the team, with co-chief executive Jorrick Chivers describing Crawford as “a great leader, a dynamic scorer and someone we feel the people of Tasmania can get really excited about and will love to get behind”.

“We believe Jordon will be a great fit with the JackJumpers culture and complement the players in our group. His ability to score the basketball and facilitate our offence will be invaluable,’’ he said at the time.

“We are excited to pair him alongside (star import) Milton (Doyle) to see what success they can have this season”.

Crawford comes to the team off the back of a career-best season in Turkey, where he ended the season as the top scorer in the Turkish Basketball League.

Playing for Istanbul-based side Buyukcekmece, Crawford averaged 19.6 points, 5.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game in 29 appearances.

Crawford graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2013 and over the course of his nine-year professional career has played in the NBA G-League with Westchester Knicks, Canton Charge and Memphis Hustle, and has spent time playing in North Macedonia, Germany, Puerto Rico and France.

Crawford, who has been described as “cool, crafty and composed”, hopes he can help lead the JackJumpers to victory and ensure the newest NBL franchise scores its first championship.

“I’m excited to be a part of that and try to build and maybe leave a legacy,’’ he says.

“Leave something special behind and be in a first championship for Tasmania, who knows? It’s just fun to be a part of the journey early on and hopefully leave a good mark.’’

And if his training regimen is anything to go by, then our Tassie team is in good hands.

“I want to be the hardest worker,’’ Crawford says after finishing those extra three-point shooting drills.

“When we’re running sprints, I want to be first. I’m here to work.’’

But when he’s not on the court, Crawford admits he’s also here to sample some of the state’s fine wines, to meet the local wildlife and hopefully dive with sharks.

He’s also keen to introduce his wife and his teenager daughter to the wonders of Tasmania, and bring his “uncle” – US boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr – to Australia (and hopefully Tasmania), to watch the JackJumpers play.

“I definitely want to hit some wineries, I’m a big wine guy,’’ Crawford says.

“Not just the tasting but the processing – picking grapes and putting them through the system.’’

He’s already been to Zoo Doo to meet kangaroos for the first time and hopes to meet some more of Australia’s less-cuddly animal inhabitants – sharks.

“I want to go cage diving,’’ Crawford enthuses.

“I love sharks, although I say that from a distance. I would like to try it.’’

Crawford admits he knew “zero” about Tasmania before being approached to play here.

“I’d heard of Tasmania, but probably just (Looney Tunes character) Taz Devil,’’ he laughs.

But he says as a long-time friend of JackJumpers star import Milton Doyle – they have played against each many times over the years and also played together in the NBA Summer League with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021, as well as both playing in Turkey earlier this year – he began hearing about Tasmania.

Crawford was keen to play with both Doyle and new JackJumpers import Marcus Lee, who Crawford has also played against in the past, so it was an easy decision to sign a one-year deal with the team.

“For sure, Milton Doyle was the big piece (in coming to Tasmania) … that’s my guy. I’ve known him for a while,” Crawford says of Doyle.

“I played against him in my rookie year, I played against him when I was in Germany and he was in Spain, I played against him in Turkey, we were in Summer League in Portland together, so we have a long background.

“We’ve been friends and now it’s exciting to finally be a teammate with him.”

He was attracted to the club’s ethos and liked the idea of making a name for himself in a new league.

“Right away, talking to the coaches and the staff, everyone felt very family oriented and had that grinding it out (mentality) and that’s the type of player I’ve been for my entire career so it felt like it was a perfect fit,’’ Crawford says.

“Milton just spoke about how the group is. They grind and get after it and he had his family here and he spoke about how much they loved it. My wife is here so the fact his family loved it in Tasmania makes myself and my wife more comfortable.”

Crawford also speaks highly of fellow import Marcus Lee.

“I love how he plays – he runs hard, runs the floor, blocks shots, he’s a lob threat,’’ Crawford says.

“It’s been a while since I’ve played with somebody where I can just throw it near the rim and they’ll go and get it. I’m super excited for him to be out on the fast break with me.’’

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Crawford grew up as an only child who was crazy about basketball.

He tried baseball, football and martial arts, but says basketball was always the stand out. He recalls spending most of his childhood shooting hoops in the backyard with his dad (who coached him throughout his school years), and he began playing in a team when he was only three years old.

Crawford says he was always playing against kids who were older – and bigger – than him, and that never really bothered him.

“I was pretty active as a kid,” he says.

“I was always outside. And I always played against older kids, I think that’s where my toughness came from, being able to play on kids who were bigger than me.

“I always said as a kid that I wanted to play pro (basketball).’’

Height wasn’t on Crawford’s side, but that didn’t deter him.

“I always knew I was good,’’ Crawford says.

“And I’ve been small my whole life, it’s normal playing against tall guys – they look normal to me.’’

His size has been a talking point wherever he goes, but Crawford, who weighs just 68kg, says that just makes him hungrier to succeed.

“I’ve always been told I’m too small to play here, and I’ve proved them wrong and moved to the next level and the next level,’’ Crawford says.

“I even heard that coming here (to the JackJumpers).

“People have said I’m too small and can’t play in this league ... that just gives me a new hunger to prove them wrong. I’m at the stage of my career where I know what I can do, I’m just here to be the best Jordon I can be. Because when I step on the court a little fire gets me going. If you don’t get that (fire), it’s probably time to hang it up.’’

Crawford is also excited to introduce his teenage daughter, Alaynah – who he lovingly refers to as his “Princess” – to Tasmania.

Alaynah, 15, was born a week after Crawford turned 18, and she lives in the US with Crawford’s mum and dad, who have been married for 34 years. Crawford says they are his role models and he’s eternally grateful for their support.

“If it wasn’t for them, I probably wouldn’t be playing basketball,’’ Crawford says.

“It’s so difficult being apart during the season. I never say you get used to it, because you don’t.’’

But he admits FaceTime makes it easier, and Alaynah also comes to visit him, wherever in the world he’s playing.

Crawford chats to his daughter over FaceTime two or three times a day – typically once at 6am, when he’s first getting up, which is around 4pm in Cincinnati, just after Alaynah has finished school for the day and is heading to after-school activities. Then he chats to her again at 9pm, as he’s winding down for bed, which is around the time she wakes up and is getting ready for school. On weekends they have more time to chat. And Alaynah loves hearing about Tasmania.

“On FaceTime she’s always asking me questions about anything and everything,’’ Crawford says.

“The food, the weather, the people, the accent. Everywhere I go, she’s intrigued with how things are.’’

He’s excited that his parents and his daughter will be coming to Tasmania to visit for a couple of weeks over summer.

“She’s definitely one of my best friends,’’ Crawford says of his daughter.

“We have a great relationship, we are really close.’’

The doting dad talks passionately about Alaynah – who is “small like me”. He says she is talented at basketball, soccer and athletics, she is excited about homecoming in a few weeks and she will be old enough to drive next year.

Crawford says his wife Tifanny – who he met through Instagram and married in 2021 – has a close relationship with Alaynah, and they’re looking forward to spending time together in Tasmania and enjoying the state’s laid-back lifestyle.

“It’s like super chill,’’ Crawford says of Hobart.

“There’s not a lot going on, it’s super laidback, it’s not a big city that is always crowded – you can kind of move at your own pace, there’s no rush.

“It’s crazy, I’ve been here (just over) a month and I feel so connected with everybody on the team already.’’

He says in some places he’s played, he’s found it hard to connect with teammates due to the language barrier. But in Tasmania that won’t be a problem and he and his teammates have already discovered plenty of mutual ground.

“A lot of the (JackJumpers) played college basketball in the States, so we have that in common,’’ Crawford says.

“There are a lot of dads on the team too.’’

Crawford is living at Battery Point and loves being by the water – he takes a dip at the beach at Sandy Bay a couple of times a week.

He’s also a “big nap guy” during the season, and also unwinds by watching crime shows on TV.

He phones his friend and mentor – boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr – a couple of times a week.

“He says he’ll see me soon,’’ Crawford reveals.

“So hopefully that means he might come down to Tasmania to see a game.’’

Crawford is also known as the ‘Holy Hooper’ – he says “religion has been the foundation of who I am’’ – and takes time to ensure his not-for-profit organisation, which runs free basketball camps for kids, is also running smoothly.

He also has a Holy Hooper clothing brand.

JackJumpers assistant coach Mark Radford expects Crawford to be “one of the better players in the competition”.

“He fits what we’re about and I think everyone will fall in love with him,’’ he said after Crawford started his Tasmania career in promising style in pre-season practice matches against Melbourne United in the state’s North and North West.

“It’s no surprise if you watch enough of the games he’s played in Turkey the last two years. He’s an outstanding basketball player and we expect him to be one of the better players in the competition.’’

Crawford says he’ll tailor his game to suit whatever the team needs, aware of the fact that returning All-NBL First Team star Milton Doyle led the JackJumpers in scoring last season.

“I try to bring what the team needs,’’ he says.

“When I was in Turkey the team needed someone that could score and create for themselves and others, but I’ve been on teams where I was the second option and I played off somebody else.

“So I’m really just trying to do what the team needs. Milton’s a great scorer, so I can feed off him and make sure I get him going early and then just find where I fit in.

“My number one quality is being a leader on and off the court … trying to help the guys with whatever they need and making sure everyone feels comfortable. I can pass the ball, I can score when I’ve got the ball and changing the tempo of the game, really speeding things up on offence and defence ends.”

Crawford says after a big season in Turkey he’s ready for a new challenge.

“It was a big year for me, one of my best years,” he says.

“My coach and teammates trusted me and let me lead. So I’m excited to transfer from Turkey to Hobart and continue to try and build.”

He says playing in the NBL will be a different experience for him.

“I’ve seen the league in the past, I’ve seen how tough it is. The style of play fits with the style of how I like to play … fast up and down’’.

Crawford realises has big shoes to fill, replacing fan-favourite Josh Magette as the new JackJumpers point guard and he has nothing but praise for Magette. But he says he’s excited to be shaking things up.

“Jet (Josh Magette) – they loved him here,’’ Crawford says.

“He’s a great leader and the fans built a relationship with him.

“I think I’m bringing a new energy to the team, I’m a different type of player.

“Everyone talks about the fan base and I’m so excited to play out there. I like to play with the fans, that’s always been a thing of mine. The more fans, the better the show, so I’m excited to bring my style and my excitement.

“Not a lot of small guys get to play in the league so it’s going to be new, not just for Tasmania, but for the whole league.”

Crawford remembers being that kid in the stands, watching in awe of his basketball idols on the court. He says he wants to inspire others to follow his lead and make the state proud.

“I feel like Tasmania in general, they’re blue collar, tough, hardworking people,” Crawford says.

“I want to reflect them, be a hard worker, the blue-collar guy that gets after it and after each game win or lose they’re proud to be behind us.

“I actually enjoy what I do, and I want people watching to see that, and say ‘he loves what he does’. During games I’m going to engage with the fans, that’s just what I like to do. It’s basically like putting on a show. God gave me talent and I like to present that talent for everyone to see what’s possible.’’•

The Tasmania JackJumpers play their first game of the 23/24 NBL season in Perth, WA, on Friday, September 29, at 9.30pm. The team’s first home game will be at MyState Bank Arena on Friday, October 6, at 7.30pm. For more details visit jackjumpers.com.au