LaPhonso Ellis facts for kids
LaPhonso Ellis in 2020
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 5, 1970 East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S. |
| High school | Lincoln (East St. Louis, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Notre Dame (1988–1992) |
| NBA Draft | 1992 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall |
| Selected by the Denver Nuggets | |
| Pro career | 1992–2003 |
| Career history | |
| 1992–1998 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1999–2000 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2000–2001 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2001–2003 | Miami Heat |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 7,410 (11.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,032 (6.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 981 (1.6 apg) |
LaPhonso Darnell Ellis (born May 5, 1970) is a former American professional basketball player. He played for 11 years in the NBA, which is the top basketball league in the world! Before playing professionally, he was a star player at the University of Notre Dame. After his playing career, he became a college basketball analyst, sharing his knowledge on TV.
Contents
Early Basketball Career
LaPhonso Ellis was a fantastic high school basketball player. He played for East St. Louis Lincoln High School in Illinois. He helped his team win two state championships in a row, in 1987 and 1988.
In the 1987 state championship game, Ellis scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. The next year, in the 1988 title game, he scored 26 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and blocked 9 shots!
Because of his amazing skills, Ellis was named a Parade All-American in 1988. He was also chosen as a McDonald's High School All-American, which means he was one of the best high school players in the whole country.
In 2007, Ellis was honored as one of the "100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament". This recognized his great performances in the Illinois state tournament.
College Basketball Career
Many colleges wanted LaPhonso Ellis to play for them. He decided to go to the University of Notre Dame. He played under coach Digger Phelps for most of his time there.
During his four years at Notre Dame, the team made it to the NCAA tournament twice. In his final year, Ellis was the team captain. He led his team in scoring with 17.7 points per game. He also led in rebounds (11.7 per game), field goal percentage (63.1%), and blocked shots (2.6 per game).
Ellis set a school record with 200 blocked shots during his college career. He was the only Notre Dame player to lead the team in blocked shots for four years in a row. He also graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in accounting.
Professional Basketball Career
In 1992, LaPhonso Ellis was chosen as the fifth player overall in the 1992 NBA draft. The Denver Nuggets picked him. In his first year, he played very well, averaging 14.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. He was even named to the 1992–93 NBA All-Rookie first team.
Later in his career, Ellis faced some challenges with injuries. For example, he only played six games in the 1994–95 season. However, he had his best season in 1996–97, leading the Nuggets in scoring with 21.9 points per game.
After playing six years with the Denver Nuggets, Ellis joined the Atlanta Hawks. He played there for two years. Then, he moved to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In 2001, Ellis signed with the Miami Heat, where he finished his career after the 2003 season.
Over his 11 seasons and 625 games in the NBA, Ellis averaged 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. His highest scoring season was in 1996-97, and his best rebounding season was his rookie year.
Broadcasting Career
After his playing days, LaPhonso Ellis became a college basketball analyst. He worked for ESPN from 2009. Later, he started working for Big Ten Network and FOX/FS1. Before working on TV, he was a radio commentator for Notre Dame men's basketball games.
See also
In Spanish: LaPhonso Ellis para niños
