Monta Ellis facts for kids

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Monta Ellis
Personal information
Ellis with the Dallas Mavericks in October 2014
Shooting guard
Born	(1985-10-26) October 26, 1985 (age 39) Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
High school	Lanier (Jackson, Mississippi)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2005 / Round: 2 / Pick: 40th overall
Selected by the Golden State Warriors
Pro career	2005–2017
Career history
2005–2012	Golden State Warriors
2012–2013	Milwaukee Bucks
2013–2015	Dallas Mavericks
2015–2017	Indiana Pacers

Career highlights and awards
NBA Most Improved Player (2007) Mr. Basketball USA (2005) McDonald's All-American (2005) First-team Parade All-American (2005) Third-team Parade All-American (2004) Mississippi Mr. Basketball (2005)

Career statistics
Points	14,858 (17.8 ppg)
Rebounds	2,874 (3.5 rpg)
Assists	3,856 (4.6 apg)

Monta Jerome Ellis (born October 26, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. He was known for his amazing scoring ability. Monta went straight to the NBA after high school. He was picked by the Golden State Warriors in the 2005 NBA draft.

In 2007, he won the NBA Most Improved Player award. During his time with the Warriors, Monta was one of the best scorers in the league. He often scored around 25 points per game. After playing for the Warriors, he also played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, and Indiana Pacers.

High School Basketball Star
Professional Career
NBA Career Statistics
- Regular season
- Playoffs
Personal Life
See also

High School Basketball Star

Monta Ellis went to Lanier High School in Jackson, Mississippi. He was a top player there. In his senior year (2004–05), Monta led his team to a state championship. He averaged an incredible 38.4 points per game. He also got 7.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 4.5 steals per game. His team ended the season with a 35–2 record.

During that year, Monta scored 65 points in one game. In another game, he scored 72 points, which is one of the highest scores in Mississippi high school history. He also scored 46 points against the famous Oak Hill Academy. Because of his great play, he was named the 2005 EA SPORTS National Player of the Year. He was also a co-Player of the Year for Parade magazine.

Monta led Lanier to a fantastic 129–16 record during his four years. They won two state championships and were runners-up twice. He finished his high school career with 4,167 points. This is the second-highest total in Mississippi state history. Monta first planned to go to Mississippi State University. But he later decided to go straight to the NBA.

Professional Career

Golden State Warriors (2005–2012)

The Golden State Warriors picked Monta Ellis in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft. He was the 40th player chosen overall. In his first year, he played in 46 games. He averaged 6.8 points per game. In the last game of that season, he scored a high of 27 points.

In the 2006–07 season, Monta really improved. He averaged 16.5 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.2 rebounds. He helped the Warriors reach the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. His scoring went up by 9.7 points from his rookie year. This was the biggest jump in the NBA. He scored 20 or more points in 24 games. He also had a career-high 13 assists in one game. Monta was named the NBA Most Improved Player.

Ellis with the Warriors in April 2008

In the 2007–08 season, Monta averaged a career-high 20.2 points. He also got 5.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He was one of the best guards in the league for shooting accuracy. He scored a career-high 39 points in a game against the New Jersey Nets.

In 2008, Monta signed a new contract with the Warriors. Soon after, he hurt his left ankle in an accident. This injury needed surgery. He missed over three months of playing time. He was also suspended by the Warriors for 30 games.

Monta came back to play in January 2009. He scored 20 points in his first game back. On April 1, he had a career-high 42 points. He also got nine rebounds and nine assists in a win against the Sacramento Kings. He missed many games that season due to injuries and family matters.

In the 2009–10 season, Monta continued to shine. He scored 45 points in a game against the Indiana Pacers. He then set a new career high with 46 points against the Dallas Mavericks. He became a true leader for the team. He averaged 25.5 points per game, which was sixth-best in the NBA. He also led the league in minutes played per game.

Ellis with the Warriors in March 2011

In the first game of the 2010–11 season, Monta tied his career high with 46 points. This was one of the best opening night performances in Warriors history. He and Stephen Curry became a very strong duo. Monta averaged 24.1 points per game that season. Many people thought he should have been an All-Star.

In February 2012, Monta scored a new career-high of 48 points. This was in a close game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Milwaukee Bucks (2012–2013)

Ellis with the Bucks in March 2013

In March 2012, Monta Ellis was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played his first game for the Bucks against his old team, the Warriors. He scored 18 points in that game. His best game for the Bucks that season was when he scored 35 points and had 10 assists.

In the 2012–13 season, Monta started all 82 games for the Bucks. He scored 37 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also had a season-high 39 points against the Orlando Magic. On April 12, he had a career-high 17 assists in a game. The Bucks made it to the playoffs that year. However, they lost to the Miami Heat in the first round.

Dallas Mavericks (2013–2015)

Ellis with the Mavericks in November 2013, being defended by Chandler Parsons.

In July 2013, Monta Ellis signed a three-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks. He started all 82 games for the Mavericks in the 2013–14 season. In his first game with the team, he scored 32 points. On November 20, he scored a season-high 37 points in a win against the Houston Rockets. He matched this high score again in April 2014.

The Mavericks made the playoffs as the eighth seed. They played a tough series against the San Antonio Spurs. Monta averaged 20.4 points per game in that series. Even though they played well, the Mavericks lost in seven games.

In the 2014–15 season, Monta continued to be a key player. He scored 38 points in a double-overtime win against the Chicago Bulls. He matched this season high two more times. He led the Mavericks in scoring for the regular season. This was the first time someone other than Dirk Nowitzki had done that in many years. In the playoffs, Monta averaged 26.0 points per game. He scored a playoff career-high 34 points in one game.

After the season, Monta decided to become a free agent. He had a small surgery on his right knee.

Indiana Pacers (2015–2017)

In July 2015, Monta Ellis signed a four-year contract with the Indiana Pacers. He played in 81 games in the 2015–16 season. He started every game he played. On January 10, 2016, he had a season-high 13 assists. On January 30, he scored a season-high 32 points. He also had nine rebounds in an overtime win against the Denver Nuggets.

In the 2016–17 season, Monta scored 19 points in the Pacers' first game. He did not score higher than that for the rest of the season. In December, he hurt his groin and missed eight games. When he returned, he lost his starting spot. He played in 74 games that season. In July 2017, Monta left the Pacers.

NBA Career Statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2005–06	Golden State	49	3	18.1	.415	.341	.712	2.1	1.6	.7	.2	6.8
2006–07	Golden State	77	53	34.3	.475	.273	.763	3.2	4.1	1.7	.3	16.5
2007–08	Golden State	81	72	37.9	.531	.231	.767	5.0	3.9	1.5	.3	20.2
2008–09	Golden State	25	25	35.7	.451	.308	.830	4.3	3.7	1.6	.3	19.0
2009–10	Golden State	64	64	41.4*	.449	.338	.753	4.0	5.3	2.2	.4	25.5
2010–11	Golden State	80	80	40.3*	.451	.361	.789	3.5	5.6	2.1	.3	24.1
2011–12	Golden State	37	37	36.9	.433	.321	.812	3.4	6.0	1.5	.3	21.9
2011–12	Milwaukee	21	21	36.0	.432	.267	.764	3.5	5.9	1.4	.3	17.6
2012–13	Milwaukee	82*	82*	37.5	.416	.286	.773	3.9	6.0	2.1	.4	19.2
2013–14	Dallas	82	82*	36.9	.451	.330	.788	3.6	5.7	1.7	.3	19.0
2014–15	Dallas	80	80	33.7	.445	.285	.752	2.4	4.1	1.9	.3	18.9
2015–16	Indiana	81	81	33.8	.427	.309	.786	3.3	4.7	1.9	.5	13.8
2016–17	Indiana	74	33	27.0	.443	.319	.727	2.8	3.2	1.1	.4	8.5
Career		833	713	34.8	.451	.314	.772	3.5	4.6	1.7	.3	17.8

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2007	Golden State	11	6	21.6	.390	.111	.821	2.3	.9	.9	.2	8.0
2013	Milwaukee	4	4	38.0	.436	.158	.375	3.3	5.5	2.5	.3	14.3
2014	Dallas	7	7	35.6	.409	.353	.871	2.4	2.9	1.3	.1	20.4
2015	Dallas	5	5	39.4	.468	.367	.750	3.2	5.2	2.0	.6	26.0
2016	Indiana	7	7	32.1	.434	.333	.800	3.9	4.3	2.1	.0	11.6
2017	Indiana	4	2	18.9	.400	.250	.800	2.0	1.3	.5	.3	5.5
Career		38	31	29.9	.427	.298	.755	2.8	3.0	1.5	.2	13.7

Personal Life

Monta Ellis is the son of Marcella Singleton and Rosa Ellis. His older brother, Antwain Ellis, was his basketball hero when he was growing up. Monta and his wife, Juanika, have three children. Monta loves collecting sneakers and enjoys fishing.