Hornets Reportedly Hire Former Lakers Assistant to Charles Lee's Staff

Matt Alquiza | May 23, 2024

Jan 27, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Chris Jent during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Charles Lee's first hand-picked coaching staff is coming into focus.

According to Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer, Lee's latest assistant coaching hire is Chris Jent, who has spent the last two seasons on Darvin Ham's staff with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Chris Jent, who spent the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, is joining Charles Lee's staff with the #Hornets as an assistant coach, league sources told @theobserver. Another key addition for Lee. pic.twitter.com/fVElR20JQO

— Rod Boone (@rodboone) May 23, 2024

Jent has had a long career in the NBA. After four years at Ohio State, Jent went undrafted in the 1992 NBA Draft. He landed his first NBA contract as a player with the Houston Rockets in 1994, winning an NBA title that same year. His only other NBA stop as a player was with the Knicks in 1997.

Following his decade-long international playing career, Jent was hired by the Philadelphia 76ers an assistant coach. He spent time in Philadelphia, Orlando, and Cleveland, before returning to his alma mater in Columbus, Ohio to coach the Buckeyes.

Stints in Columbus, Sacramento, the G-League, and Atlanta (where he overlapped with Charles Lee for two seasons) led him to Los Angeles where he has spent his last two seasons as an assistant coach.

Jent joins Lamar Skeeter and Josh Longstaff as Lee's reported assistant coach hires.