Ed Nealy

Eddie Carl Nealy (born February 19, 1960) is an American retired basketball player.

Due his hustle, aggressiveness and court smarts, Nealy was uniformly praised for his unselfish play and his willingness to be physical throughout his career.

"It's guys like Ed who make coaching a pleasure. If you give me a reason to put him into a game, he's going to find a way to contribute." -- Phil Jackson in "Unsung Nealy Helps the Bulls" by Sam Goldaper New York Times May 28, 1990

In the book The Jordan Rules, Phil Jackson labeled Nealy his, "favorite player, smartest player on the team."

"With some players, a rebound hits their hand and bounces off. Nealy catches it. He has hands like Bobby Jones and Adrian Dantley. He is going to be a great pro some day. I truly mean that." -- Dean Smith in "Who Are These Guys?; Kansas St.: Short, Fat and Still Alive; Kansas State? Yes, Kansas State", by Ken Denlinger Washington Post March 21, 1981