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Press ReleaseMay 1, 2025
Detroit Amplifiers Stack Coaching Staff with Earl Boykins and George Gervin Jr. for BIG3 Debut
Veteran leadership joins Head Coach George Gervin as team preps for city-based league debut.
DETROIT, MI — The Detroit Amplifiers are adding serious firepower to their bench, announcing today that former NBA standout Earl Boykins and respected coach George Gervin Jr. will join Head Coach George Gervin for the team's inaugural BIG3 season.
Boykins and Gervin Jr. bring deep experience, a passion for player development, and a strong connection to the Amplifiers’ mission to represent Detroit’s grit, resilience, and basketball tradition.
Earl Boykins carved out a remarkable 13-year NBA career despite standing just 5'5", making stops with the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, and others. His quickness, leadership, and deep basketball knowledge have made him a respected voice in coaching and player mentorship since his retirement. He played college at Eastern Michigan University from 1994 to 1998, about 36 miles west of Detroit.
George Gervin Jr. has spent years coaching and developing talent across the U.S. and internationally, earning a reputation for his focus on fundamentals, mental toughness, and player growth — traits that run deep in the Gervin basketball legacy. Before turning to coaching, he enjoyed a successful professional playing career overseas, including stops in Brazil and Sweden.
"I'm thrilled to have Earl and George Jr. on our bench," said Head Coach George Gervin. "They both have a lot of experience in the game as players, coaches, and developers. Each of them is tough, smart, and passionate about basketball. Earl and George Jr. are not only tremendous basketball minds — they are mentors who will inspire our players to be their best both on and off the court."
"I'm honored to join the Amplifiers and represent Detroit," said Earl Boykins. "Getting the chance to coach alongside one of the greatest players in NBA history — and a fellow Eastern Michigan alum — makes this even more special. I’m excited to get to work and help build something great here."
"It’s an incredible experience to coach alongside my father, and having Earl with us makes it even better," added George Gervin Jr. "Both have shaped the game in their own ways and helping build something new for Detroit — a city my dad proudly calls home — is something I truly appreciate."
The Amplifiers' roster is led by Jeremy Pargo (Captain), Darnell Jackson (Co-Captain), and seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time BIG3 MVP Joe Johnson (Co-Captain), giving Detroit a dangerous mix of experience, skill, and veteran leadership heading into their debut campaign. The remaining two roster spots will be filled during the upcoming BIG3 Draft in Las Vegas on May 15.
The BIG3 season tips off June 14, 2025, with the Detroit Amplifiers making their home debut at Little Caesars Arena on July 20. Tickets and season information are available now at BIG3.com.
Stay connected with the Amplifiers. Follow @DetroitAmps and @theBIG3 on Instagram and X for exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes access, and all the latest team news as the season approaches.
About
Detroit Amplifiers
The Detroit Amplifiers are Detroit’s official franchise in the BIG3's new city-based era. Owned by GameAbove Sports, a global investor in thoughtfully chosen sports teams and academies, serving as a strategic partner focused on promoting the future of sports excellence.
About
BIG3
On January 11, 2017, the BIG3 was born. The first-ever professional FIREBALL3 league is the brainchild of producer, actor, and music legend Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz, who shared a vision of a player-centric league focused on entertainment and innovation. The BIG3 is a league with no garbage minutes, where trash talk is allowed, defense is emphasized, fast-paced action, and where every point –whether it’s a 4-point or 3-point shot – counts. Any given BIG3 team has hall of famers, icons and trailblazers, and the next best 3-on-3 player.
The league has led the sports industry in diversity and opportunity, becoming the first professional sports league to implement a mental health policy, favor CBD as a pain management alternative to opioids, enlist female coaches of men, and appoint a black Commissioner in Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler, who is also professional sports first former player serving as Commissioner. The inaugural CEO was the legendary, incomparable Raider executive Amy Trask. This January 2024, BIG3 co-founder Ice Cube was honored at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, where he received the inaugural Ice Cube Impact Award, acknowledging individuals making substantial contributions to their community, the first non-player to be recognized. Founders Ice Cube and Jeffrey Kwatinetz are missioned to better society as BIG3 pursues business success while also helping to break down stereotypes, promote diversity in sports, create opportunities for black, brown, and female athletes beyond the court, and support the black, youth and basketball communities overall.
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