Earl Antoine Boykins

(http://fullydevoted.blogspot.com/act_earl_boykins.jpg)

Earl Antoine Boykins was born June 2, 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was born a very small child and was small growing up but still stuck to his passion and his dreams, playing basketball. Even though he was always the smallest player on the court and was teased for his height, he persevered to become an important and well-known NBA star.

When in high school, Boykins continued with his passion, playing on the varsity team at Cleveland’s Central Catholic High School from grade 10 onwards. In his senior season he was the leading scorer in the State. He then moved on to a great collegiate career playing for Eastern Michigan University. ‘Little Earl’ played at EMU from 1995-1998. He averaged double figures in scoring in each of his four seasons, starting all but one of his 122 games played and averaging 18.1 points per game during his EMU career. He also averaged 25.7 points per game, 2.3rebounds per game and 5.5assists per game in his senior year. Boykins holds Eastern Michigan's career record for assists with 624 and ranks second on the scoring list with 2,211 points, behind former NBA player Kennedy McIntosh's 2,219. He was named Honorable Mention All-America after averaging 25.7 points per game in 1997-98 as a senior at Eastern Michigan. As well, he was an All-Mid-American Conference First Team pick after his junior and senior seasons. He was also an Honorable Mention All-America as a senior, when he finished second in the nation in scoring, and an All-Mid-American Conference First Team member as a junior and senior. After all these outstanding achievements, including being able to bench press 315 pounds, Earl expected to be a high draft pick in the NBA draft and finally accomplish his dreams despite his extremely undersized height. When the draft came along, Earl came along another obstacle in his journey. He went undrafted.

(http://www.shortsupport.org/gif/whowho/Boykins_Earl.jpg)

After being undrafted, Boykins signed as a free agent with New Jersey during the 98-99 season. He only played 5 games for them, not doing too well, and eventually was released. That same season he signed 2 small contracts at different times with the Cleveland Cavaliers but never got a substantial contract. Over the next four seasons he bounced around another 4 teams but never found his true fit and home until the 03-04 season when he signed a 5-year, fully-guaranteed $13.7 million dollar contract with the Denver Nuggets. He is still currently playing for the Denver Nuggets as their back up point guard and energy man off the bench. When he plays he always plays his hardest and inspires the team to play with the same energy he brings.

(http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/v3/01-24-2005.ns_24mavsBradley.G581HJG3N.1.jpg)

Earl has now made a name for himself around the world as an inspiration to many people, and has truly found his home in Denver. During the 2004-05 season with Denver, Boykins had career highs in points (12.4 per game) and assists (4.5 per game). He ranked second in the NBA in free-throw percentage and had a string of 57 straight free throws made at one point during the season. He scored in double figures a career-high 58 games, including 12 games of 20 or more points and two of 30 or more. He led the Nuggets in scoring 10 times and in assists 22 times. As well, that same season on January 18, 2005, he set an NBA record for most points scored in overtime when he tallied 15 points. Earl is a big inspiration for me and is my hero because I am also very undersized to be playing basketball and I look at him as my biggest inspiration to continue playing basketball at a competitive level. I have been told as well that I am too short to play at a high level so I look to him as palpable proof that I can play basketball at a high level despite my size. He has made a big impact on my life to continue to play the game I love. I one day hope to play at the collegiate level.