Earl Boykins NBA Career Overview
Earl Antoine Boykins is a former professional basketball guard who played 13 NBA seasons after going undrafted. He is best known as the second shortest player in NBA history at 5 feet 5 inches, behind Muggsy Bogues. Boykins played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats, Washington Wizards, and Los Angeles Clippers. His career averages include 8.9 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game over 641 regular season games. Boykins earned a total of 15.7 million dollars in NBA salary during his career, according to data from Spotrac and Basketball Reference.
Boykins was born on June 2, 1976, in Cleveland, Ohio. He played college basketball at Eastern Michigan University, where he became the second all time leading scorer in program history. Despite his size, he developed a reputation as a high level floor general and clutch shooter. His NBA debut came on November 1, 1998, with the Cavaliers. Boykins later became a key backup and sometimes starter for multiple teams, including a notable stint with the Denver Nuggets during the 2006 2007 season, where he averaged 11.7 points per game. He also played in the NBA G League and briefly in overseas leagues after his last NBA contract ended in 2012.
Boykins NBA Contracts and Salary Details
Boykins signed multiple guaranteed and non guaranteed contracts during his NBA tenure. His largest single season salary was 3.8 million dollars with the Denver Nuggets in the 2007 2008 season. Over his career, he earned a total of 15.7 million dollars in NBA salary, with additional income likely from summer league deals and overseas stints. Contract details are tracked on sites like Spotrac and HoopsHype, which list base salary, bonuses, and guaranteed money for each season. Boykins never received a max level contract due to his undrafted status and height, but he consistently earned a stable mid range salary for a backup guard.
Most of Boykins NBA earnings came from standard rookie scale extensions and veteran minimum deals. He signed a multi year contract with the Nuggets in 2006 that paid him roughly 3.5 million dollars over two seasons. Later deals with the Wizards and Clippers were near the veteran minimum, which was about 1.3 million dollars per year at the time. Boykins also earned income from basketball camps, private coaching, and appearances. His total career earnings from basketball are estimated at over 18 million dollars when including overseas and summer league pay, according to reports from Spotrac and Basketball Reference.
Boykins Net Worth and Post NBA Financial Life
Earl Boykins net worth is estimated to be between 10 million and 14 million dollars as of 2025, based on NBA salary, overseas contracts, and post playing career activities. His primary income sources include NBA earnings, overseas basketball pay, coaching, and private basketball training. Boykins has worked as a coach at the high school and AAU level, which provides additional steady income. He has also been involved in basketball clinics and youth development programs, which can generate appearance fees and sponsorship income.
Boykins has maintained a relatively low public profile after retiring from professional basketball. He has not been linked to major business ventures or public investments outside of basketball related activities. Financial details for former NBA players are often estimated by sites like Spotrac and Forbes, which use salary data, contract structures, and known post career activities to calculate net worth. Boykins remains active in basketball circles and is frequently cited in discussions about the shortest players to have successful NBA careers.