Simon, Crawford Win NBA Title With Los Angeles Lakers
TUCSON, Ariz. – Former Arizona players Miles Simon and Quinton Crawford, both assistant coaches with the Los Angeles Lakers, helped guide the Lakers to their 17th NBA Championship on Sunday night with a domination win over the Miami Heat and former 'Cats Andre Iguodala and Solomon Hill in Orlando.
It marks the 27th and 28th time that former Arizona players have gone on to win the NBA Championship as a coach or player. It's also the first NBA title for both Simon and Crawford.
Arizona has a player or coach competing in the NBA Finals for the sixth straight season and had someone come away with a ring in five of the last six seasons.
Simon played for the Wildcats from 1994-98 and was named Most Outstanding Player of the 1997 Final Four when Arizona captured the National Championship.
Crawford was a walk-on for the 'Cats for two seasons (2011-12, 2012-13), appearing in nine games as Arizona advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament in 2013.
NBA Championships (28)
1996 Steve Kerr, Jud Buechler (Chicago)
1997 Steve Kerr, Jud Buechler, Brian Williams (Chicago)
1998 Steve Kerr, Jud Buechler (Chicago)
1999 Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott (San Antonio)
2003 Stever Kerr (San Antonio)
2009 Luke Walton (LA Lakers)
2010 Luke Walton (LA Lakers)
2011 Jason Terry (Dallas)
2015 Andre Iguodala, Steve Kerr*, Luke Walton*, Bruce Fraser* (Golden State)
2016 Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson, Brett Brielmaier* (Cleveland)
2017 Andre Iguodala, Steve Kerr*, Bruce Fraser* (Golden State)
2018 Andre Iguodala, Steve Kerr*, Bruce Fraser* (Golden State)
2020 Miles Simon*, Quinton Crawford* (Los Angeles Lakers)
*Indicates member of coaching staff