Editor's note: In celebration of Father's Day, here are Clippers guard Jamal Crawford's thoughts on fatherhood, as told to Arash Markazi:

Basketball and fatherhood have always gone hand in hand in my life. I’ve never really had to separate the two.

My earliest childhood memories are of my dad putting a basketball in my hand and playing with me in our backyard. My dad, Clyde, played at the University of Oregon with Kevin Love’s dad, Stan, and he has always been my support system from grade school to today. He always tells me the truth, good or bad. He has always been somebody that I can trust and know he’s going to be hard on me when it’s needed. He’s always been there and I’m so thankful for our relationship.

I think about that as I reflect on my role as a father today. I have three kids: Eric is 17, JJ is 5 and my daughter London is 2. I couldn’t imagine my life without them.

Eric and JJ Crawford enjoy some brotherly fun. Courtesy of Jamal Crawford

Eric takes pride in being a great big brother. He loves watching them and helping out with the younger two, and the younger two always want to be around their big brother. It’s cool to be with all of them and have different conversations with each one because they’re all obviously at different stages in their life.

I talk basketball with Eric and if there’s a new song or dance out there, he’ll tell me everything about what’s in and what’s happening in high school. JJ is really into Spider-Man and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and he wants to play basketball all day, too. And London loves Elmo. So you have all these different conversations with your kids and you have to be patient with all of them because they’re all bringing something different to you and each one has a different personality.

It’s amazing how being a dad changes your outlook on life. When I came into the league 15 years ago it was more so about me. I had Eric but I was 20 years old and I was just trying to establish myself in the NBA and making sure I could make a career out of this. As I’ve grown in the league and in life, having my kids around and seeing their growth and development is special and it’s something I wouldn’t trade for all the jobs in the world. I know it’s cliché to call it a dream job but when my kids come to my games and I see them on the court or in the locker room afterwards there’s nothing like it. It doesn’t matter how I played, I could have two points or 30 points, but I’m their hero and it’s truly the best feeling in the word.

They look at me when we get home, and they want to play basketball too, and I can’t help but to think back when I was their age, playing basketball with my dad and looking up to him. They don’t understand what happened in the game, they just want to play with you, and it’s the coolest thing ever.

It’s always special when my kids come to my games. It changes everything. You know they’re there watching and you know how excited they are to see you on the court. A perfect example during the NBA playoffs was Steph Curry’s daughter, Riley. You saw how excited she was and that’s pretty much how all our kids are. The joy of seeing your father out there on the court must be a thrill but even though Steph is one of the biggest stars in the world, to Riley, that’s just her dad and that’s how all our kids view it. They get so excited seeing us out there. They obviously want to see us do well, but even if we’re struggling they’re pointing at us and waving, and when you see that you’re connecting with them. Even though you’re in an arena with 20,000 fans, in that moment it’s just you guys as if you were at home and that connection is priceless.

It was funny when I heard people debating whether Steph should bring Riley up to the press conference podium. I always bring JJ up if I’m asked to go to the podium. He would be there if there were no cameras there. If I was talking to one or two reporters in the hallway, he would be there by my side. So just because I’m at the podium I’m not going to take away from my normal routine of being a dad after the game. I think it’s cool to see and actually has a positive impact.

JJ and London Crawford are treats in their dad's life. Courtesy of Jamal Crawford

It’s important for him to be up there with me because he and my family are the ones that make me most happy, and I want to share that moment with them. When I’m walking down the street and one person wants to ask me a question, my son will be with me, and when I’m on a podium and a dozen people want to ask me questions, he’s still going to be with me. That’s my son. I’m not going to turn him on or turn him off.

Of course, balancing fatherhood and playing in the NBA hasn’t always been an ideal situation. I’ve been involved in trades and I’ve moved in free agency. It’s just the business of basketball but these are decisions that affect your whole family. My kids go to school, they make friends and have certain teachers that they like and that is affected by my career and what happens to me.

I’ve played for six teams in 15 seasons in the NBA but Seattle will always be my home and it’s still my home in the offseason. I can’t get traded from here and my family knows that.

Playing with the Clippers the past three seasons has been amazing from a family standpoint because our kids were welcomed in the locker room after games and they became friends too. Chris Paul would pick up his son and my son from school because they were in the same class and they would go to his house sometimes, and sometimes I would pick the kids up and they would come to my house. And both of our sons loved playing with Matt Barnes’ twins so it was a great family atmosphere and sometimes that gets lost when you hear about trades.

It’s part of the business, and we get compensated well, but we’re not robots. We have feelings and emotions, and we care about our family just as much as the next person, so you’re not just thinking about where you might end up, but how that will affect your kids and family. When trade talks come up during the season it can affect how you play, but I’ve learned that you just have to be patient, understanding and prepared for anything.

The same is true for being a dad.