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 on May 5, 1970, is a former American professional basketball player. He played for 11 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before that, he was a star player at the University of Notre Dame. After his playing career, he became a sports analyst. He worked for ESPN from 2009 until 2023. He now shares his basketball knowledge on the Big Ten Network and Fox and FS1.
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Becoming a Basketball Star
LaPhonso Ellis showed his amazing basketball skills early on. He played for East St. Louis Lincoln High School in Illinois.
High School Championships
Ellis led his high school team to win two Illinois Class AA boys' championships. They won in 1987 and again in 1988.
In the 1987 state championship game, Ellis scored 27 points. He also grabbed 10 rebounds. The next year, in the 1988 title game, he scored 26 points. He also had 15 rebounds and blocked nine shots.
Top High School Player
In 1988, during his senior year, Ellis was recognized as one of the best high school players in the country. He was named a Parade All-American. He was also a McDonald's High School All-American.
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 Journey
After high school, many colleges wanted LaPhonso Ellis to play for them. He chose to attend the University of Notre Dame.
Playing for Notre Dame
Digger Phelps was his first coach at Notre Dame. Later, John Macleod became his coach for his senior year.
During his four years in college, Notre Dame's team had a record of 67 wins and 57 losses. They made it to the NCAA tournament twice.
Senior Year Success
As a senior captain, Ellis was a leader on his team. He led the team in several important stats:
- Scoring: 17.7 points per game
- Rebounding: 11.7 rebounds per game
- Field goal percentage: .631 (meaning he made 63.1% of his shots)
- Blocked shots: 2.6 blocks per game
In that same season, he helped his team reach the finals of the 1992 NIT Tournament.
College Records
Throughout his college career, Ellis averaged 15.5 points per game. He scored a total of 1,505 points. He also averaged 11.1 rebounds per game, with 1,075 total rebounds.
He set a school record with 200 career blocked shots. He is the only Notre Dame player to lead the team in blocked shots for four years in a row.
Ellis also earned a degree in accounting from Notre Dame.
Professional NBA Career
LaPhonso Ellis was a top pick in the 1992 NBA draft. The Denver Nuggets chose him as the fifth player overall.
Early NBA Years
In his first season, called his rookie year, he played very well. He averaged 14.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. Because of his great performance, he was named to the 1992–93 NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Later in his career, Ellis faced challenges with injuries. For example, he only played six games in the 1994–95 season. His best season was in 1996–97. He led the Nuggets in scoring, averaging 21.9 points per game.
Moving Teams
After playing six years with the Denver Nuggets, Ellis joined the Atlanta Hawks. He played for the Hawks for two years. Then, he moved to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In 2001, Ellis signed with the Miami Heat. He played for the Heat until he retired after the 2003 season. He played professionally in the NBA from 1992 until 2003.
Career Highlights
During his 11 seasons in the NBA, LaPhonso Ellis played in 625 games. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. His highest scoring average was 21.9 points in the 1996-97 season. His best rebounding season was his rookie year, when he averaged 9.1 rebounds per game.
Life After Playing
After retiring from playing basketball, LaPhonso Ellis became a sports analyst. He shares his knowledge and opinions about college basketball.
He worked as a college basketball analyst for ESPN from 2009 until June 2023. Now, he works for the Big Ten Network and FOX/FS1.
Before joining ESPN, he was a radio commentator for Notre Dame men's basketball games.
See also
In Spanish: LaPhonso Ellis para niños
