Chris Jent

This article is about the American basketball player and coach. For the British businessman, see Chris Gent.

Chris Jent

Jent in 2013
Charlotte Hornets
Position	Assistant coach
League	NBA
Personal information
Born	(1970-01-11) January 11, 1970 (age 55) Orange, California, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school	Sparta (Sparta, New Jersey)
College	Ohio State (1988–1992)
NBA draft	1992: undrafted
Playing career	1992–2001
Position	Shooting guard / small forward
Number	21, 7
Coaching career	2003–present
Career history
As a player:
1992–1993	Rapid City Thrillers
1993	Joventut Badalona
1993–1994	Columbus Horizon
1994	Houston Rockets
1994–1995	Rapid City Thrillers
1995	North Melbourne Giants
1995	Connecticut Pride
1995–1996	Napoli
1997	New York Knicks
1997	Napoli
1997	Atlantic City Seagulls
1997–1998	Reggiana
1998–1999	Andrea Costa Imola
1999–2000	Panionios
2000–2001	Reggiana
2001–2002	Pavia
As a coach:
2003–2004	Philadelphia 76ers (assistant)
2004–2005	Orlando Magic (assistant)
2005	Orlando Magic (interim)
2006–2011	Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant)
2011–2013	Ohio State (assistant)
2013–2014	Sacramento Kings (assistant)
2015–2016	Bakersfield Jam
2016–2017	Ohio State (assistant)
2017–2022	Atlanta Hawks (assistant)
2022–2024	Los Angeles Lakers (assistant)
2024-2025	Charlotte Hornets (assistant)
2025-present	New York Knicks (assistant)
Career highlights
As player: NBA champion (1994) All-NBL Third Team (1995) CBA All-Rookie First Team (1993) 2× Fourth-team Parade All-American (1987, 1988) As assistant coach: NBA Cup champion (2023) Big Ten Conference Tournament champion (2013)
Career NBA statistics
Points	37 (6.2 ppg)
Rebounds	16 (2.7 rpg)
Assists	8 (1.3 apg)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals Men's basketball Representing   United States FIBA Americas Championship 1993 San Juan Team competition

Christopher Matthew Jent (born January 11, 1970) is an American basketball coach and former player who serves as an associate head coach for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was formerly the head coach of the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League, and had a stint as an assistant coach at the Los Angeles Lakers as well.

Early life and college career

Jent was born in Orange, California and grew up in Sparta, New Jersey. ^{[1] [2]} After attending high school at Sparta High School (New Jersey), he played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes, leaving in 1992 after four seasons.

Professional playing career

Undrafted in the 1992 NBA draft, Jent was drafted in the fourth round (50th overall) in the 1992 CBA draft. ^[3] Jent began his professional career with CBA teams Rapid City Thrillers and Columbus Horizon. ^[4] He was selected to the CBA All-Rookie First Team in 1993. ^[5]

He had a brief career in the NBA, playing three games each for the Houston Rockets (winning a championship ring in 1994) and New York Knicks (1996–97). ^[6] He played in 11 playoff games in 1994, thus giving him the rare distinction of having played in more career playoff-games than regular-season games in the NBA. In between his stints with the Rockets and the Knicks, he played with the Australian NBL's North Melbourne Giants in 1995 and also played in Italy, Spain and Greece.

Coaching career

Philadelphia 76ers (2003–2004)

Jent was an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2003–04 season.

Orlando Magic (2004–2005)

The next season, Jent worked in the same capacity with the Orlando Magic, and was appointed interim head coach for the final 18 games of the 2004–05 season (going 5–13), after Johnny Davis was fired. At the start of the next season he was replaced by Brian Hill.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2006–2011)

Beginning in November 2006, Jent took on the role of Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He served as LeBron James' personal shooting coach while James was on the team. ^[7]

Ohio State (2011–2013)

On June 29, 2011, Ohio State head basketball coach Thad Matta introduced Jent as an assistant coach for the Buckeyes.

Sacramento Kings (2013–2014)

On June 10, 2013, Jent became an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings. ^[8] He was relieved of his duty on December 16, 2014. ^[9]

Bakersfield Jam (2015–2016)

Jent would later on be the newest head coach for the Bakersfield Jam in 2015 after their former head coach ended up accepting an assistant coach/leading player development position for the Phoenix Suns. ^[10]

Return to Ohio State (2016–2017)

Jent returned to Ohio State as an assistant following the 2015–16 season. ^[11]

Atlanta Hawks (2017–2022)

For the 2017–18 season, Jent was hired as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks. ^[12]

Los Angeles Lakers (2022–2024)

For the 2022–23 season, Jent was hired as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. ^[13]

Charlotte Hornets (2024–present)

Chris Jent was hired as an assistant coach on Charles Lee's staff for the Charlotte Hornets in the 2024 offeason. ^[14]

In 2025 he coached the Hornets in the 2025 NBA Summer League. Going 6-0 and winning the championship vs the Kings 83-78. ^[15]

Career statistics

Legend

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

NBA

Source ^[1]

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1993–94†	Houston	3	0	26.0	.500	.364	.500	5.0	2.3	.0	.0	10.3
1996–97	New York	3	0	3.3	.333	.667	–	.3	.3	.0	.0	2.0
Career		6	0	14.7	.469	.429	.500	2.7	1.3	.0	.0	6.2

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1994†	Houston	11	0	5.6	.250	.231	–	.8	.6	.2	.0	1.2

Head coaching record

Legend

Regular season	G	Games coached	W	Games won	L	Games lost	W–L %	Win–loss %
Playoffs	PG	Playoff games	PW	Playoff wins	PL	Playoff losses	PW–L %	Playoff win–loss %

Team	Year	G	W	L	W–L%	Finish	PG	PW	PL	PW–L%	Result
Orlando	2004–05	18	5	13	.278	3rd in Southeast	—	—	—	—	Missed Playoffs
Career		18	5	13	.278		—	—	—	—

References

1. "Chris Jent". Basketball Reference . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
2. Chris Jent Archived 2011-03-04 at the Wayback Machine , National Basketball Association. Accessed June 28, 2011.
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
4. "Chris Jent player profile". NBA. Archived from the original on September 10, 1999.
5. "Chris Jent minor league basketball statistics". Stats Crew. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
6. "Chris Jent Stats".
7. SI.com article, accessed February 27, 2009.
8. KINGS ADD CHRIS JENT TO COACHING STAFF
9. Chris Jent leaves Kings' coaching staff
10. "Suns Sign Teletovic, Weems, Price". NBA.com. August 27, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
11. "What Chris Jent hopes to bring to Ohio State basketball as a new/old assistant coach". Cleveland.com. April 27, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
12. "Atlanta Hawks Name Chris Jent As Assistant Coach", Atlanta Hawks , July 7, 2017, retrieved July 22, 2017
13. "Lakers Announce 2022-23 Coaching Staff". NBA.com. September 27, 2022.
14. "Hornets hire Lakers assistant Chris Jent to Charles Lee's staff". May 27, 2024.
15. | Charlotte Hornets . Retrieved July 21, 2025– via www.nba.com.