Chris Jent
A basketball lifer whose sharp-shooting as a player evolved into a respected coaching career mentoring some of the game's biggest stars.
Born 1970 (age 56)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: January 11·Generation X
Biography
Chris Jent's path in basketball is a testament to the value of a specific, elite skill and the intelligence to teach it. As a player, the Ohio State standout was known for one thing above all: a pure, relentless three-point shot. This specialty carved out a seven-year professional career that spanned the NBA, Europe, and the CBA. But his true impact began when he hung up his sneakers. Jent transitioned seamlessly into coaching, first in the minor leagues, where his detail-oriented approach and player development focus earned him a head coaching job. His big break came as an assistant with the Orlando Magic, but his defining role was with the Los Angeles Lakers during their championship runs. Tasked with player development, he became particularly crucial to LeBron James during James's time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and later the Lakers, often cited as a trusted confidant and shooting coach. Now as associate head coach for the New York Knicks, Jent operates with a low-profile steadiness, valued for his tactical mind, work ethic, and unique ability to connect with and improve superstar talent.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Chris was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an NBA championship as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
- Served as the head coach of the Bakersfield Jam (now NBA G League Ignite), leading them to a division title.
- Played a key developmental role for LeBron James during two separate stints as an assistant coach on his teams in Cleveland and Los Angeles.
- Was a standout three-point shooter at Ohio State University, leading the Big Ten in three-point percentage in 1992.
Did You Know?
He hit a famous game-winning three-pointer for the Sacramento Kings against the Chicago Bulls in 1994.
He played professionally in Greece, Italy, and Spain after his NBA career.
He was a teammate of Shaquille O'Neal on the Orlando Magic during the 1995-96 season.
His son, Brandon, played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
“Shoot it. If you're open, let it fly. That's your job.”
