Howard Jonathan Eisley (born December 4, 1972) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player and current coach. Born in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, Eisley played

college basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...

for the

Boston College Eagles The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Boston College, located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level ( Football Bowl Subdivis ...

and was drafted in

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

by the

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves (often referred to as the Wolves or T-wolves) are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Divisio ...

. Eisley spent twelve seasons in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

(NBA): six with the

Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. Since the 1991–92 season, the ...

(1995–2000, 2004–2005) and the other six with seven other teams.

Early life and college

Eisley graduated from Southwestern High School in

, where he was teammates with future NBA players

Jalen Rose Jalen Anthony Rose (born January 30, 1973) is an American sports analyst and former professional basketball player. In college, he was a member of the University of Michigan Michigan Wolverines, Wolverines' "Fab Five (University of Michigan), Fa ...

and

Voshon Lenard Voshon Kelan Lenard (born May 14, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was listed as and 215 lbs, and was born in Detroit, Michigan. College care ...

, and played for the Boston College Eagles basketball team for four years before being drafted by the

in the second round (30th overall) in 1994. He graduated from Boston College with a degree in communications. In his senior season, Eisley led the Eagles to the eastern regional finals or "Elite Eight" round of the 1994 NCAA tournament and earned regional All-Tournament honors.

NBA career

Minnesota Timberwolves (1994-1995)

Eisley was selected by the

with the 30th overall pick in the

1994 NBA draft The 1994 NBA draft took place on June 29, 1994, at Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis. Two NBA rookies of the year were picked in the first round, as Jason Kidd and Grant Hill were co-winners of the award for the 1994–95 NBA season. Kidd and Hill ...

. As a rookie in 1994–95, Eisley started in four games for the Timberwolves out of 34. With an average playing time of 14.6 minutes per game, Eisley averaged 3.3 points and 2.3 assists. On February 13, 1995, Eisley was waived by the Timberwolves.

San Antonio Spurs (1995)

On February 26, 1995, Eisley signed the first of two 10-day contracts with the

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

. He signed for the rest of the season on March 18, and was released on April 14. In 15 games and 56 minutes with the Spurs, Eisley recorded 7 points and 18 assists.

Utah Jazz (1995-2000)

Eisley began the next season with the Rockford Lightning of the

Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA), originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association, was a men's professional basketball m ...

(CBA) before signing with the

, who sought a point guard to back up John Stockton and to replace the injured Jamie Watson. Previously, Eisley was the final player cut from Jazz training camp. By December 1995, Eisley had the top

free throw In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line (informally known as the foul line or the charity stripe), a line situated at the end of the restricted area. Free throws ...

percentage (17 for 17) in the CBA. In seven games with the Lightning, Eisley improved his performance: in 24 minutes per game, he averaged 12.4 points and 3.3 assists. Jazz coach

Jerry Sloan Gerald Eugene Sloan (March 28, 1942 – May 22, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before beginning a 30-year coaching career, 23 of which were spent ...

commented that Eisley was "a focused young man" and: "So many people play with their athletic ability alone and forget to play with the other people on the court. He's adjusted as quickly to what we're doing as anybody we've had." Eisley was known for his quiet manner. In the first half of Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, Eisley made a 3-point shot that replays clearly showed was released before the

shot clock A shot clock is a countdown timer used in a variety of games and sports, indicating a set amount of time that a team may possess the object of play before attempting to score a goal. Shot clocks are used in several sports including basketball, w ...

expired. Referee Dick Bavetta mistakenly disallowed the shot. (This game took place four years before the NBA instituted

instant replay Instant replay or action replay is a video reproduction of something that recently occurred, both shot and broadcast live TV, live. After being shown live, the video is replayed so viewers can see it again and analyze what just happened. Spo ...

to review calls.) The

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...

would beat the

in that game 87–86 and win the championship series four games to two.

Dallas Mavericks (2000-2001)

Eisley was traded to the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...

during the 2000 season. He would play 82 games for the Mavericks during the 2000–01 season, averaging 9.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. That season he would also appear in nine games for the Mavericks in the

2001 NBA playoffs The 2001 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2000-01 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadel ...

where Dallas defeated the

in the first round 3-2 and lost to the

in the western conference semifinals 4–1.

New York Knicks (2001-2004)

Eisley was traded to the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...

in 2001 in a three-team trade involving the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...

, sending

Muggsy Bogues Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues (born January 9, 1965) is an American former basketball player. The shortest player ever to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Bogues played point guard for four teams during his 14-season care ...

to Dallas. He spent three seasons with the Knicks from 2001 until 2003, including the 2002–03 season when he averaged a career-high 9.1 points per game.

Phoenix Suns (2004)

Eisley was traded to the

Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA), We ...

in 2004, alongside Maciej Lampe, Antonio McDyess, Charlie Ward, the rights to Miloš Vujanić, and draft considerations, in exchange for

Stephon Marbury Stephon Xavier Marbury (born February 20, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who was also the head coach for the Beijing Royal Fighters of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) from 2019–2023. After his freshman year ...

, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybański. He would only play 34 games for the Suns in the 2003–04 season before being waived by the Suns on October 29, 2004.

Utah Jazz (2004-2005)

On November 3, 2004, the first day of the regular season for the Utah Jazz, Eisley signed a $1.1 million, one-year contract with the team, for which he played five seasons from 1995 to 2000. He scored four points and made three assists, and the Jazz beat the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

104–78. In 74 games, Eisley averaged 19.3 minutes, 5.6 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. Among his milestones in his comeback season with the Jazz included his 700th career game (December 12, 2004 against the

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...

), 5,000th career point (April 15, 2005 against the

), and a career-high eight defensive rebounds (February 1, 2005 against the Charlotte Bobcats). In 19 games, Eisley led the Jazz in assists.

Los Angeles Clippers (2005-2006)

On November 17, 2005, Eisley signed as a free agent with the Clippers. In 13 games with the Clippers, Eisley averaged 0.7 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. The Clippers, having experimented with a three-guard lineup as

Corey Maggette Corey Antoine Maggette (; born November 12, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He became an analyst for Fox Sports. High school and college career Magget ...

was out due to injury, released Eisley on January 3, 2006.

Denver Nuggets (2006)

Following two 10-day contracts, the Nuggets kept Eisley for the rest of the season from March 23, 2006. With the Nuggets, Eisley played in 19 games and averaged 4.8 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. On July 20, 2006, the Nuggets traded Eisley to the Chicago Bulls, but the Bulls later waived him.

Coaching career

In 2010, Eisley became a player development assistant for the

Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...

. He was hired as an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards on September 4, 2014. Following a three-year stint as an assistant with the New York Knicks, Eisley joined Juwan Howard's staff at the University of Michigan as an assistant coach.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

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Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

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San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

, 15 , , 0 , , 3.7 , , .176 , , .200 , , , , .4 , , 1.2 , , .0 , , .1 , , .5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

, 65 , , 0 , , 14.8 , , .430 , , .226 , , .844 , , 1.2 , , 2.2 , , .4 , , .0 , , 4.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , 0 , , 13.2 , , .451 , , .278 , , .787 , , 1.0 , , 2.4 , , .5 , , .1 , , 4.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 18 , , 21.0 , , .441 , , .407 , , .852 , , 2.0 , , 4.2 , , .7 , , .2 , , 7.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, style="background:#cfecec;", 50* , , 0 , , 20.8 , , .446 , , .420 , , .838 , , 1.9 , , 3.7 , , .6 , , .0 , , 7.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , 5 , , 25.6 , , .418 , , .368 , , .824 , , 2.1 , , 4.2 , , .7 , , .1 , , 8.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

, 82 , , 40 , , 29.6 , , .393 , , .398 , , .825 , , 2.4 , , 3.6 , , 1.2 , , .1 , , 9.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, 39 , , 0 , , 15.6 , , .337 , , .241 , , .796 , , 1.3 , , 2.6 , , .6 , , .1 , , 4.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , 76 , , 27.4 , , .417 , , .389 , , .848 , , 2.3 , , 5.4 , , .9 , , .1 , , 9.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 33 , , 23 , , 22.1 , , .396 , , .329 , , .889 , , 2.0 , , 4.7 , , .9 , , .1 , , 6.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Phoenix , 34 , , 0 , , 21.4 , , .345 , , .308 , , .830 , , 1.9 , , 3.4 , , .8 , , .1 , , 7.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 74 , , 1 , , 19.4 , , .398 , , .262 , , .795 , , 1.2 , , 3.4 , , .6 , , .1 , , 5.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Clippers , 13 , , 0 , , 8.6 , , .235 , , .250 , , , , 1.1 , , 1.9 , , .2 , , .0 , , .7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

, 19 , , 0 , , 14.9 , , .349 , , .316 , , .833 , , 1.0 , , 2.3 , , .4 , , .1 , , 4.8 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 786 , , 167 , , 20.4 , , .407 , , .350 , , .827 , , 1.7 , , 3.5 , , .7 , , .1 , , 6.5 , -

Playoffs

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1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 18 , , 0 , , 11.2 , , .381 , , .333 , , .818 , , 1.2 , , 2.4 , , .2 , , .1 , , 2.9 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 20 , , 0 , , 10.9 , , .500 , , .474 , , .964 , , .9 , , 2.0 , , .2 , , .0 , , 5.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 20 , , 0 , , 18.3 , , .368 , , .296 , , .923 , , 2.0 , , 4.1 , , .6 , , .3 , , 5.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 11 , , 0 , , 21.9 , , .366 , , .208 , , .828 , , 1.8 , , 2.9 , , .6 , , .3 , , 7.4 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

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, 10 , , 0 , , 20.0 , , .309 , , .474 , , .889 , , 1.8 , , 1.9 , , .6 , , .1 , , 5.1 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 9 , , 0 , , 21.6 , , .358 , , .385 , , 1.000 , , 1.3 , , 1.9 , , .6 , , .1 , , 5.8 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 88 , , 0 , , 16.1 , , .384 , , .355 , , .886 , , 1.5 , , 2.6 , , .4 , , .1 , , 5.2 , -

References

External links

Howard Eisley coach profile
at NBA.com * at NBA.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Eisley, Howard 1972 births Living people 20th-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century American sportsmen 21st-century African-American sportsmen American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from Michigan Basketball players from Detroit Boston College Eagles men's basketball players Dallas Mavericks players Denver Nuggets players Los Angeles Clippers assistant coaches Los Angeles Clippers players Michigan Wolverines men's basketball coaches Minnesota Timberwolves draft picks Minnesota Timberwolves players New York Knicks assistant coaches New York Knicks players Phoenix Suns players Point guards Rockford Lightning players San Antonio Spurs players Southwestern High School (Michigan) alumni Utah Jazz players