Earl Boykins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Earl Boykins

Boykins with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2011
UTEP Miners
Assistant coach
Personal information
Born	(1976-06-02) June 2, 1976 (age 49) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
High school	Cleveland Central Catholic (Cleveland, Ohio)
Listed height	5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Listed weight	133 lb (60 kg)
Career information
College	Eastern Michigan (1994–1998)
NBA Draft	1998 / Undrafted
Pro career	1998–2012
Coaching career	2013–present
League	Conference USA
Career history
As player:
1998–1999	Rockford Lightning
1999	New Jersey Nets
1999	Cleveland Cavaliers
1999	Orlando Magic
2000	Cleveland Cavaliers
2000–2002	Los Angeles Clippers
2002–2003	Golden State Warriors
2003–2007	Denver Nuggets
2007	Milwaukee Bucks
2008	Charlotte Bobcats
2008–2009	Virtus Bologna
2009–2010	Washington Wizards
2010–2011	Milwaukee Bucks
2012	Houston Rockets
As coach:
2013–2019	Douglas County HS
2021–present	UTEP (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
EuroChallenge champion (2009) Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award (1998) AP Honorable mention All-American (1998) 2× First-team All-MAC (1997, 1998) MAC tournament MVP (1998) No. 11 retired by Eastern Michigan Eagles USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (1997)
Career NBA statistics
Points	5,791 (8.9 ppg)
Rebounds	877 (1.3 rpg)
Assists	2,092 (3.2 apg)
Medals Men's Basketball Representing  United States Summer Universiade Gold 1997 Trapani Team competition

Earl Antoine Boykins (born June 2, 1976) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. He is currently an assistant coach for the UTEP Miners. Boykins played for thirteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for many teams. He is known for being the second-shortest player in NBA history. He stands at 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 meters) tall.

Boykins started his coaching career in 2013. He was the head coach for the Douglas County High School boys' basketball team until 2019. In 2021, he joined the UTEP Miners as an assistant coach.

Earl Boykins' Early Life and Basketball Start

Earl Boykins was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1976. When he was a child, his father would sometimes sneak him into a gym in his gym bag. This was so Earl could play basketball with his father and other grown-ups. He grew up playing in these games, which helped him develop his skills.

High School Success

Boykins played high school basketball at Cleveland Central Catholic High School. In his senior year, he was amazing, scoring 24.6 points per game. He led his team to a great 23–2 record. In 2015, a local newspaper called him the best high school player from the Cleveland area in the 1990s. Only two top college basketball programs offered him scholarships. One of them, Iowa, later took back its offer.

College Basketball Career

Boykins played college basketball at Eastern Michigan University from 1994 to 1998. His team, the Eastern Michigan Eagles, won the MAC tournament twice. They won in 1996 and again in 1998.

College Achievements

Earl was named to the All-Mid-American Conference first-team in both his junior and senior years. During his senior season, he was the second-highest scorer in the entire NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. He averaged an impressive 26.8 points per game. Boykins also holds the record for the most total assists (624) at Eastern Michigan University. In 2011, Eastern Michigan University honored him by retiring his No. 11 jersey. This means no other player at the school will wear that number again.

Earl Boykins' Professional Journey

First NBA Experience

Earl Boykins was not chosen in the NBA draft. However, he still managed to sign short-term contracts with five different NBA teams. Before the 2003–2004 season, he signed a big five-year contract with the Denver Nuggets. On November 11, 2004, Boykins made history. He scored 32 points in a game, becoming the shortest player ever in the NBA to score 30 or more points. After playing for the Nuggets, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2007. He later played for the Charlotte Bobcats.

Playing Overseas in Italy

After the 2007–08 NBA season, Boykins decided to play basketball in Europe. He signed a one-year contract with Virtus Bologna in Italy. This deal made him the highest-paid basketball player in the Italian League at the time.

During his time in Italy, there was a brief misunderstanding with his team. However, it was quickly resolved, and he stayed with the club. In April 2009, his team won the EuroChallenge Cup. This was a big championship in European basketball. He left Virtus Bologna in June 2009.

Return to the NBA

Boykins returned to the NBA in November 2009, signing with the Washington Wizards. He was a valuable addition to the team. In a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, he helped the Wizards win by making two important free throws.

Boykins playing for the Bucks in 2011

On August 19, 2010, he signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks again. His last NBA team was the Houston Rockets, where he signed a short contract in March 2012. He has not played in the NBA since then.

The Basketball Tournament (TBT)

In the summer of 2017, Earl Boykins played in The Basketball Tournament (TBT). This is a special tournament shown on ESPN where teams compete for a large cash prize. Boykins helped his team, Paul Champions, win two games to qualify for the main tournament. He played very well, scoring many points and making assists. In their first game, he scored 25 points, leading his team to a victory. His team eventually lost in the second round.

Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Earl Boykins became a basketball coach. In 2014, he was hired as the head coach for the boys' varsity team at Douglas County High School in Colorado.

In 2021, Boykins joined the UTEP Miners as an assistant coach. He continues to share his knowledge and love for basketball with young players.

See also

In Spanish: Earl Boykins para niños

• List of National Basketball Association career free throw percentage leaders