Earl Boykins
From Hoopedia
Earl Antoine Boykins (born June 2, 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association.
He played collegiately at Eastern Michigan University from 1995 to 1998. He earned All-Mid-American Conference first team honors in his junior and senior year. During his senior year, Earl was second in the NCAA with 26.8 ppg. He holds the career record for assists at his alma mater.
Boykins has played in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, and most recently the Charlotte Bobcats. He also spent two years in the CBA, where he played for the Rockford Lightning. At 5'5" (1.65 m), Boykins is the shortest active NBA player and the second shortest player in NBA history behind Muggsy Bogues, who was 5'3" (1.60 m). Earl Boykins weighs only 133 pounds (60 kg) but according to various sources he can bench press up to 315 pounds (143 kg).
After bouncing around with various teams around the league in a limited reserve role for his first five years in the NBA, Boykins finally earned a guaranteed contract with the Denver Nuggets in 2004. Boykins's role is typically to come off the bench to inject energy into his team's offense. He is one of the quickest guards in the league, and pairs this with a very fast shooting motion, which allows him to get shots off against much taller defenders.
Boykins' NBA career has solidified in recent years in part due to the recent change in rules allowing some forms of zone defense. Boykins's teams had feared playing Boykins, because opponents could exploit his size by trying to post him up. But with the gradual increase in the use of modified zone defenses in the last few years, fewer situations arise where Boykins is isolated alone defending a taller player in the painted area. Moreover, since few point guards in the league have polished post-up moves as part of their offensive repertoire, opposing teams are generally reluctant to abandon their usual offense in an effort to exploit Boykins' size.
On January 11, 2007 Boykins was traded (along with Julius Hodge) to the Milwaukee Bucks for Steve Blake.
On January 31, 2008 the Charlotte Bobcats signed Boykins. He wears #11 and backs up Raymond Felton. He is currently averaging 2.5ppg and 3.0 apg.
