 Eisley in 2013 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1972-12-04)December 4, 1972 (age 52) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Southwestern (Detroit, Michigan) |
| College | Boston College (1990–1994) |
| NBA draft | 1994: 2nd round, 30th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Playing career | 1994–2006 |
| Position | Point guard /shooting guard |
| Number | 10, 1, 9, 4, 12, 6 |
| Coaching career | 2010–present |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1994–1995 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 1995 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1995 | Rockford Lightning |
| 1995–2000 | Utah Jazz |
| 2000–2001 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2001–2004 | New York Knicks |
| 2004 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2004–2005 | Utah Jazz |
| 2005–2006 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2006 | Denver Nuggets |
Coaching | |
| 2010–2014 | Los Angeles Clippers (assistant) |
| 2014–2016 | Washington Wizards (assistant) |
| 2016–2019 | New York Knicks (assistant) |
| 2019–2024 | Michigan (assistant) |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 5,116 (6.5 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,324 (1.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,748 (3.5 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Howard Jonathan Eisley (born December 4, 1972) is an American former professionalbasketball player and current coach. Born inDetroit, Eisley playedcollege basketball for theBoston College Eagles and was drafted in1994 by theMinnesota Timberwolves. Eisley spent twelve seasons in theNational Basketball Association (NBA): six with theUtah Jazz (1995–2000, 2004–2005) and the other six with seven other teams.
Eisley graduated fromSouthwestern High School inDetroit, where he was teammates with future NBA playersJalen Rose andVoshon Lenard, and played for theBoston College Eagles basketball team for four years before being drafted by theMinnesota Timberwolves 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 theeastern regional finals or "Elite Eight" round of the 1994 NCAA tournament and earned regional All-Tournament honors.[1]
Eisley was selected by theMinnesota Timberwolves with the 30th overall pick in the1994 NBA draft. As a rookie in1994–95, Eisley started in four games for the Timberwolves out of 34.[1][2] 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.
On February 26, 1995, Eisley signed the first of two 10-day contracts with theSan Antonio Spurs. 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.[1]
Eisley began the next season with theRockford Lightning of theContinental Basketball Association (CBA) before signing with theUtah Jazz, who sought a point guard to back upJohn Stockton and to replace the injuredJamie Watson.[1][3] Previously, Eisley was the final player cut from Jazz training camp.[4] By December 1995, Eisley had the topfree throw 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.[3] Jazz coachJerry Sloan 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."[2] Eisley was known for his quiet manner.[4][5]
In the first half ofGame 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, Eisley made a 3-point shot that replays clearly showed was released before theshot clock expired. RefereeDick Bavetta mistakenly disallowed the shot.[6][7] (This game took place four years before the NBA institutedinstant replay to review calls.[8]) TheChicago Bulls would beat theUtah Jazz in that game 87–86 and win the championship series four games to two.
Eisley was traded to theDallas Mavericks 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 the2001 NBA playoffs where Dallas defeated theUtah Jazz in the first round 3-2 and lost to theSan Antonio Spurs in the western conference semifinals 4–1.
Eisley was traded to theNew York Knicks in 2001 in a three-team trade involving theHouston Rockets, sendingMuggsy Bogues 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.
Eisley was traded to thePhoenix Suns in 2004, alongsideMaciej Lampe,Antonio McDyess,Charlie Ward, the rights toMiloš Vujanić, and draft considerations, in exchange forStephon Marbury,Penny Hardaway andCezary 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.
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 theLos Angeles Lakers 104–78.[9] In 74 games, Eisley averaged 19.3 minutes, 5.6 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists.[10] Among his milestones in his comeback season with the Jazz included his 700th career game (December 12, 2004 against thePortland Trail Blazers), 5,000th career point (April 15, 2005 against theMinnesota Timberwolves), and a career-high eight defensive rebounds (February 1, 2005 against theCharlotte Bobcats). In 19 games, Eisley led the Jazz in assists.[1]
On November 17, 2005, Eisley signed as a free agent with the Clippers.[11] In 13 games with the Clippers, Eisley averaged 0.7 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.[10] The Clippers, having experimented with a three-guard lineup asCorey Maggette was out due to injury, released Eisley on January 3, 2006.[12]
Following two 10-day contracts, the Nuggets kept Eisley for the rest of the season from March 23, 2006.[13] With the Nuggets, Eisley played in 19 games and averaged 4.8 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.[10] On July 20, 2006, the Nuggets traded Eisley to the Chicago Bulls, but the Bulls later waived him.[14][15]
In 2010, Eisley became a player development assistant for theLos Angeles Clippers.[16][17]
Eisley was hired as an assistant coach for theWashington Wizards on September 4, 2014. Following a three-year stint as an assistant with theNew York Knicks, Eisley joinedJuwan Howard's staff at theUniversity of Michigan as an assistant coach.[18]
On October 13, 2025, theDallas Mavericks hired Eisley to serve as a scout.[19]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | Minnesota | 34 | 4 | 14.6 | .352 | .250 | .775 | 1.2 | 2.3 | .5 | .1 | 3.3 |
| 1994–95 | San Antonio | 15 | 0 | 3.7 | .176 | .200 | – | .4 | 1.2 | .0 | .1 | .5 |
| 1995–96 | Utah | 65 | 0 | 14.8 | .430 | .226 | .844 | 1.2 | 2.2 | .4 | .0 | 4.4 |
| 1996–97 | Utah | 82 | 0 | 13.2 | .451 | .278 | .787 | 1.0 | 2.4 | .5 | .1 | 4.5 |
| 1997–98 | Utah | 82* | 18 | 21.0 | .441 | .407 | .852 | 2.0 | 4.2 | .7 | .2 | 7.7 |
| 1998–99 | Utah | 50* | 0 | 20.8 | .446 | .420 | .838 | 1.9 | 3.7 | .6 | .0 | 7.4 |
| 1999–00 | Utah | 82 | 5 | 25.6 | .418 | .368 | .824 | 2.1 | 4.2 | .7 | .1 | 8.6 |
| 2000–01 | Dallas | 82 | 40 | 29.6 | .393 | .398 | .825 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 1.2 | .1 | 9.0 |
| 2001–02 | New York | 39 | 0 | 15.6 | .337 | .241 | .796 | 1.3 | 2.6 | .6 | .1 | 4.4 |
| 2002–03 | New York | 82 | 76 | 27.4 | .417 | .389 | .848 | 2.3 | 5.4 | .9 | .1 | 9.1 |
| 2003–04 | New York | 33 | 23 | 22.1 | .396 | .329 | .889 | 2.0 | 4.7 | .9 | .1 | 6.7 |
| 2003–04 | Phoenix | 34 | 0 | 21.4 | .345 | .308 | .830 | 1.9 | 3.4 | .8 | .1 | 7.1 |
| 2004–05 | Utah | 74 | 1 | 19.4 | .398 | .262 | .795 | 1.2 | 3.4 | .6 | .1 | 5.6 |
| 2005–06 | L.A. Clippers | 13 | 0 | 8.6 | .235 | .250 | – | 1.1 | 1.9 | .2 | .0 | .7 |
| 2005–06 | Denver | 19 | 0 | 14.9 | .349 | .316 | .833 | 1.0 | 2.3 | .4 | .1 | 4.8 |
| Career | 786 | 167 | 20.4 | .407 | .350 | .827 | 1.7 | 3.5 | .7 | .1 | 6.5 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Utah | 18 | 0 | 11.2 | .381 | .333 | .818 | 1.2 | 2.4 | .2 | .1 | 2.9 |
| 1997 | Utah | 20 | 0 | 10.9 | .500 | .474 | .964 | .9 | 2.0 | .2 | .0 | 5.6 |
| 1998 | Utah | 20 | 0 | 18.3 | .368 | .296 | .923 | 2.0 | 4.1 | .6 | .3 | 5.6 |
| 1999 | Utah | 11 | 0 | 21.9 | .366 | .208 | .828 | 1.8 | 2.9 | .6 | .3 | 7.4 |
| 2000 | Utah | 10 | 0 | 20.0 | .309 | .474 | .889 | 1.8 | 1.9 | .6 | .1 | 5.1 |
| 2001 | Dallas | 9 | 0 | 21.6 | .358 | .385 | 1.000 | 1.3 | 1.9 | .6 | .1 | 5.8 |
| Career | 88 | 0 | 16.1 | .384 | .355 | .886 | 1.5 | 2.6 | .4 | .1 | 5.2 | |