Busting Brackets
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Boston College Basketball: 5 potential candidates to replace Jim Christian

By Benjamin Zacher

Jan 9, 2021; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Jay Huff (30) and Boston College Eagles forward James Karnik (33) jump for the ball during the first half at Conte Forum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2021; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Jay Huff (30) and Boston College Eagles forward James Karnik (33) jump for the ball during the first half at Conte Forum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan Wolverines Assistant Coaches (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
Michigan Wolverines Assistant Coaches (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /

Howard Eisley

  • HC experience: N/A
  • Assistant experience: Los Angeles Clippers (2010-14), Washington Wizards (2014-16), New York Knicks (2016-19), Michigan (2019-present)

Howard Eisley should be one of the first names on Boston College’s list moving forward.  Currently an assistant with the third-ranked Michigan Wolverines, Eisley is no stranger to BC – he played four seasons for the Eagles from 1990-1994 before being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves after his senior season.

A starter from the get-go, Eisley starred as the point guard for a program that reached the NCAA Tournament – and the Elite Eight – in his senior season, averaging a second-best 16.0 points and a team-high 4.6 assists on a 23-11 squad.  A two-time All-Big East Second Team honoree, Eisley ranks 16th in scoring in program history with 1,628 points, fourth in total assists (544), and first in 3PT% (44.7%).

Eisley is no stranger to basketball, having competed in the NBA with eight different teams from 1994-2006, averaging 6.5 points and 3.5 assists for his career.  Four years after retiring from the NBA, Eisley was hired as a player development assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers, before moving onto assistant jobs with the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks – amassing a combined 349-373 record and serving as a pivotal member of the Clippers’ stellar showings in the West with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

Most recently, however, Eisley took on a coaching gig in college basketball for the first time, joining Juwan Howard at Michigan immediately after Howard was hired.  Eisley has been a key cog in Michigan’s romp through the Big Ten, working primarily with the Wolverines’ guards and offensive sets – and he is largely responsible for Michigan owning the seventh-most efficient offense in college basketball this season.

Hiring Eisley would just make so much sense.  Boston College has become a home for stellar guard play as of late, with professionals Oliver Hanlan, Jerome Robinson, and Ky Bowman all suiting up for the Eagles in the past decade – and Eisley is the perfect coach to continue to develop those types of guards.  Additionally, Eisley’s offensive prowess would be ideal for a BC team that ranks sub-100 in offensive efficiency and is averaging just 0.88 points per possession this year.