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I was watching the Gilbert Arenas/Javaris Crittenton documentary last night and noticed a framed GW jersey in the background of the interview with Rasheed Hazzard (who's had various coaching stops and I guess was friends with Crittenton). I looked him up and saw that he played at GW from 1994-98, although he only averaged about 5 minutes per game across four years.
I'm wondering if anyone has any insight into him as a player at GW or his coaching career, which seems to have included stops at high school, college, NBA, G League, the Japanese third division, and South Africa. That is quite the variety.
I know he was only a role player at best but does anyone remember him? Also if you've watched the documentary let me know what you think. I'm sure most of you remember the incident itself so I'm wondering how you thought the documentary represented what happened. Seems to me that the incident got blown out of proportion and Crittenton unfairly suffered the consequences of something Arenas was also responsible for (not that it excuses his actions that landed him in prison)
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The proper context to discuss Rashed starts with his father Walt who was arguably one of the top 25 UCLA players in that school's history. So unfair as this may be, Rasheed arrived at GW with very outsized expectations. He was clearly not an A10 caliber player and Mike Jarvis managed to get him a few minutes here and there. He was a point guard who was no threat to shoot or score. He did stay at GW for four years (a long, long time ago, before transfer portals and NIL, most college basketball players did just that), opting for a limited role at GW over perhaps an expanded role at a lower level.
I have not seen the documentary yet though it is on my to do list. Crittendon certainly took the fall, and perhaps rightfully so, though Arenas was as big a nut job as there was. When he became a free agent, he was down to the Wizards and Clippers so he flipped a coin. The coin came up Clippers which explains why he chose the Wizards. That was Gilbert.
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There was also a relationship between Rasheed Hazzard and then DC mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly. Not sure if it she was his aunt, god-son or if there was some other connection. As for Rasheed, he was a very insignificant player on some very good GW teams.
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"RA-SHEED HA-ZZARD!!" would waft down from the student section in my day. It was musical. It was joyous and it usually meant we were winning. Seemed like a nice guy from what I could tell. Fascinating posts on this thread.
Last edited by RaiseHigh'96 (5/27/2025 5:33 pm)
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Hazzard and his family were very disappointed with the lack of minutes and development over his 4 years at GW. He was quite upset after getting only 3 minutes when his famous father finally attended a game (after suffering a near fatal stroke). He and Darin Green graduated from GW stating that they would recommend against anyone playing at GW because of Mike Jarvis. In today's world he would have transferred after freshman year.
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Thanks for the article, Martinboy; however, I will note when Darin Green and Rasheed complained about Mike Jarvis, he was no longer our coach.
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Great guy. Unfortunately he was almost certainly the single worst player at GW in the 90 when we were flying high, but I think having him as a teammate and practice partner probably helped the team immensely.
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About Rasheed Hazzard, I agree with Martiniboy and GWmayhem's points about him staying at GW for four years despite the minimal role he had, and how much things have changed in 30 years when it comes to players transferring. A guy like Hazzard would have been plotting his exit from GW late in February of his freshman year nowadays. Especially, when you consider that his father was a legendary player. I know one of Shaquille O'Neal's sons has transferred at least 3 times since he's been in college.
About the Javaris Crittenton and Gilbert Arenas situation, I didn't see the documentary but I remember it and heard Gil and others speak on it. Gil claims the incident stemmed from a card game on a plane involving himself, Crittenton and other Wizards players that escalated to the point where they threatened to harm/shoot each other, and Gil ended up bringing a gun to the locker room to mock the situation (which proves GWmayhem's point about Gil being somewhat nutty!!!).I know Crittenton was also charged with murdering a woman in Georgia a short time after the incident with Arenas.
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I remember Rasheed Hazzard as a very good bench/role player, but maybe my memory is worse than some of you...
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Stats are horrifying. But remember he was occasionally helpful in a couple of games, including after looking
it up, a key 3-pointer in the Franklin National Bank Classic (former BB&T, etc).
Obviously we had high hopes for him. Became an NBA Assistant, so coaching may have been
more his strong suit.
And Hazzard and Darrin Greene would have transferred years earlier, as Martiniboy pointed out.
He and Greene, who was perpetually deep in Jarvis' doghouse, criticized Jarvis in the Hatchet.
A decade ago, that could have been the anonymous basis of destroying a GW coaching career.