Mar 17, 2023; Greensboro, NC, USA; Providence Friars forward Ed Croswell (5) and forward Bryce Hopkins (23) react in the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Ed Croswell of the Utah Jazz makes a Summer League highlight for all the wrong reasons
The Utah Jazz’s Ed Croswell made a Summer League highlight to forget.
Earlier in the Las Vegas Summer League, the Utah Jazz’s Ochai Agbaji made a moment to remember when he chased down an opposing player and had a brilliant block. It was the highlight of the night and really helped elevate Agbaji’s stock during the Summer League. His play seemingly was elevated by that one moment.
So it may have made some fans excited to see that the Jazz’s Ed Croswell was also trending on Monday due to a highlight from Sunday’s game. Yet, unlike Agbaji’s, who made him look great, Croswell’s trended because it was, well, funny and painful.
Croswell, who’s trying to catch the eyes of the Jazz while playing for them during the Summer League, was hoping to make the best of the skeleton crew the team had. Dealing with injuries, the team turned to Croswell for some minutes, giving the Providence alum a shot.
Croswell got just nine minutes, and scored just one shot, but that one shot made the rounds on social media for all the wrong reasons.
Croswell was able to score on a play inside, that saw the 6’8, 245 lbs forward dunk the ball. In doing so, some bodies hit the floor, including Nate Hinton. Hinton lay on the floor, directly under the feet of Croswell, so when Croswell released, he landed right on Hinton’s groin.
The moment was humorous to some, but the referees didn’t think so, as they gave Croswell a flagrant one. Yet, many fans were not mad at Croswell, they were mad at Hinton.
In the above clip, you can clearly see Hinton not making any effort to get out of the landing zone of Croswell. That right there should be all the reason to not only not issue a flagrant foul of any type against Croswell, but in fact, call a foul on Hinton.
It is in fact illegal for a defender to put any part of his body underneath the feet of an airborne player, so for the NBA refs to call the foul on Croswell and not Hinton is just mind-boggling.
Had Hinton not been on the ground, taking his time, Croswell wouldn’t have landed on him.
