Only between five and 10 of the league’s players come from the NBA, so the Pro-Am provides opportunities for other players to hone their games against each other. And like other leagues, Powell says an interleague game is in the works for next year. This year, the Goodman and Drew leagues will be facing off against each other.

What Powell is working on for next year is the I-5 Challenge, where teams from Seattle would face off against teams from Portland. Back around 1995 and 1996, when Terrell Brandon and Damon Stoudamire were playing in the area, the two cities would match up at alternating locations each year.

A game like that would bring back old-school Seattle summer ball. Powell remembers back when Doug Christie and Jason Terry would come back and play years ago. And then in 2000, Crawford really opened the door.

“He started getting the spotlight on Seattle, like ‘Hey, what’s going on up there?’”

Since then, Seattle’s basketball scene has exploded. Crawford is at the games every weekend, signing autographs with the rest of the players and creating an atmosphere like none other.

“He’s a person who’s always done so much for not just the basketball community but the overall community of Seattle,” says Powell. “He always wants to see great things.”

Even without an NBA team, the Emerald City continues to thrive by bringing back professional basketball in the form of Crawford’s summer league. And it’s been a revelation for fans and player alike.

“Now the city’s really understanding what it is like, even if they weren’t the greatest team, to not have a team at all,” says Powell. “So I think any little thing we can do to give us that back, I think it helps for the community and for the people that like that high-level basketball.”

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