Earl Boykins (born June 2, 1976) is a retired American professional basketball player. Standing at 5 feet, 5 inches in height, he is the second-shortest player in NBA history behind Muggsy Bogues, who was 5 feet, 3 inches tall. Despite his size, he is reportedly able to bench press 315 pounds (143 kg). He is currently the head coach for the Douglas County High School varsity basketball team.
Boykins was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1976. As a child, his 5' 8" father, Willie Williams, would sneak Boykins into a gym in his gym bag. Boykins grew up playing in recreational leagues with his father and other grown men. Boykins played high school basketball at Cleveland Central Catholic High School where he averaged 24.6 points per game and led the school to a 23–2 record as a senior. In 2015, The Plain Dealer ranked him the best Cleveland-area high school basketball player of the 1990s. Eastern Michigan and Iowa were the only two Division I basketball programs to offer Boykins an athletic scholarship, though Iowa later withdrew its offer.