Monta Ellis
Encyclopedia
Monta Ellis is an American professional basketball
player who plays the shooting guard
and point guard
positions for the Golden State Warriors
of the NBA
. Ellis entered the 2005 NBA Draft
after graduating from Lanier High School
in Jackson, Mississippi
, and the Warriors drafted him in the second round. He is known for his spectacular speed, earning him the nickname "The Mississippi Bullet/Missile" and also for being a prolific scorer, capable of taking difficult shots.
in Jackson where he was named Parade Magazine High School Player of the Year 2005 (along with Greg Oden
) and a USA Today All-American. He had committed to Mississippi State University
before opting for the NBA in 2005. He scored a career-best 72 points in a game against Greenwood High School. As a junior, he scored 42 points in a 80–75 loss against renowned high school basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy
, then the #1-ranked prep-basketball team in the country by USA Today, and their star future-NBA forward, Josh Smith
, in front of a capacity crowd at the Marshall County Hoopfest in Benton, KY. His 42 points was the most ever scored against Oak Hill by an opposing player. In his senior season he scored 42 points in a game against South Gwinnett High School
in which he was guarded by Louis Williams
, at the Coliseum
. He led Lanier to a 129–16 record in his four seasons as a starter (2002–2005), winning the 4A state championship in 2002 (33–5) and 2005 (35–2, ranked #12 nationally by USA Today) and runner-up finishes in 2003 (31–4) and 2004 (30–5). He scored a total of 4,167 points in his prep career, making him second all-time in Mississippi history. He received first-team all-state recognition from the Clarion-Ledger in all four of his high school seasons and was named Mississippi's "Mr. Basketball" by the paper in 2005.
, Ellis was inserted into the starting lineup late in the 2005–06 NBA season, along with fellow rookie Ike Diogu
. He scored his first points on December 7, 2005 against the Phoenix Suns
on a 3-point shot. He was highly regarded as one of the players to watch during the 2006 summer league, but was unable to compete due to knee problems. After receiving very little playing time as a rookie, Ellis improved immensely coming into his second year and began to show great potential. During the 2007 NBA Draft
, the Warriors traded Jason Richardson
and second-round draft pick Jermareo Davidson
to the Charlotte Bobcats
for lottery
pick Brandan Wright
. The trade freed up about 10 million dollars in salary cap
space for the Warriors with which they could sign Ellis as well as fellow young star Andris Biedriņš
to extended contracts and allowed Ellis more time at the shooting guard
spot. In his third season, Ellis became one of the Warriors' top performers, becoming a clutch player and pulling them through close games.
On July 25, 2008, Ellis signed a six-year, $67 million contract extension with the Warriors, making him the highest paid player on the team.
.
On January 31, he was selected to play in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge
during the NBA's All-Star weekend. He scored a dunk-filled 28 points in a win for the sophomore team on 13 for 16 shooting. He was edged out by David Lee
and Chris Paul
for the game's MVP honors.
On February 24, Ellis recorded a career-high 13 assists against the Los Angeles Clippers
.
On April 26, he received the NBA's Most Improved Player Award
after averaging 16.5 points per game, a substantial increase from his average of 6.8 points per game as a rookie, edging out Sacramento Kings
shooting guard Kevin Martin
by three votes and beating teammate Andris Biedriņš
. Ellis's points-per-game average compared to the previous season (6.8 to 16.5), an increase of 9.7, beat out Martin's increase of 9.4 (10.8 to 20.2).
Monta Ellis was part of the rotation of the Warriors that beat the Dallas Mavericks
in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs
in a seven-game series, becoming the first eight-seeded team to beat a one-seeded team in a seven-game series. The Mavericks had the best record in the NBA and were tied 6th all time having a record of 67-15, but the Warriors as an eight-seeded team with a record of 42-40 beat the one-seeded team Mavericks 4-2 in the series. Monta Ellis and fellow teammate Andris Biedriņš are the only Warriors left on the squad that were part of the team that had upset of the Mavericks in the 2007 NBA Playoffs. However, the Warriors lost in the Western Conference Semi-finals to the Utah Jazz
4-1
, exactly one year to-the-day of his first ever game-winning shot, which also came against the Nets.
Monta Ellis became the ninth guard in league history to average at least 20 points per game while averaging 60 percent from the field in a single month after making 60.2 percent of his shots in February, 2008. He was honored after the last game of the month by assistant coach Sidney Moncrief
, one of the eight other players to achieve the feat; the other guards to perform this feat were John Stockton
, Ricky Pierce
, Earl Monroe
, Jim Paxson
, Fred Brown, Sidney Moncrief
, Brad Davis
, and Steve Nash
. Monta Ellis also scored over 30 points in the month of February for four games straight.
Monta had a career-high average of shooting .531% from the field.
On August 26, 2008, it was revealed that Ellis had torn a ligament in his left ankle. Ellis underwent successful surgery on August 27 to repair a torn deltoid ligament
in his left ankle, after he informed the club that he had injured himself working out. Warriors general manager Chris Mullin
revealed through an interview that Ellis received his injury during a pick-up game in a gym within his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. However, as was suspected during weeks of speculation, he was injured in a low-speed moped
accident. Because dangerous activity such as this violates Paragraph 12 of his player contract, the Warriors organization opted to suspend Ellis for 30 games, the approximate number of games he expected to miss. In addition, the Warriors maintained the option to void his contract in the event his recovery had been unsuccessful. Initial reports stated that he would be out for at least three months from the date of his ankle surgery, although because of the suspension the earliest Ellis could play in a game was December 26. Ellis returned from his injury on January 23 in a home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and scored 20 points with three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.
After starting slowly in February, Ellis took several games off, and showed marked improvement in March, during which he averaged 23.5 points per game, shooting 49% from the field and 87% from the free-throw line. Ellis opened the month of April by scoring 42 points, while also adding nine rebounds and nine assists in an overtime win against the Sacramento Kings
.
On October 27, 2010, Ellis tied a career-high 46 points (18-of-24 FG, 1-of-2 3pt, 9-of-12 FT) with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in Golden State's 132-128 win over the Houston Rockets
.
On December 14, 2010, Ellis poured in 34 points on 13-of-24 shooting during the Warriors' 108-99 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves
.
On December 20, 2010, Ellis scored 44 points (15-of-20 FG, 3-of 4 3pt, 11-of-14 FT) with a rebound, 7 assists, 2 steals, and played 42 minutes despite a 112-121 loss at home vs. the Houston Rockets
.
Monta Ellis was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 20 - Dec. 26 while averaging 39.7 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Monta and the Golden State Warriors
had 2 wins against the Sacramento Kings
(117-109) on December 21, 2010 and the Portland Trail Blazers
(109-102) on December 25, 2010, but 1 loss against the Houston Rockets
(112-121) on December 20, 2010.
On January 7, 2011, Ellis scored a game-high 32 points (10-of-21 FG, 4-of-5 3pt, 8-of-8 FT) with 10 assists, two rebounds, three steals and six turnovers in Golden State's win over the Cleveland Cavaliers
. The score was 116-98.
On January 19, 2011, Ellis scored 36 points (16-of-28 FG, 2-of-3 3pt, 2-of-3 FT) with 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 turnovers in Golden State's 110-108 win over the Indiana Pacers
. Monta made a game-winning jumper over Brandon Rush
for the Warriors while going on an isolation play with Brandon Rush guarding him.
On January 21, 2011, two days after he made a game-winning jumper, Monta made a jumper against the Sacramento Kings with Tyreke Evans
guarding him to send the game to overtime. Monta finished with 28 points (12-of-29 FG, 1-of-6 3pt, 3-of-4 FT), 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, and a block despite having 7 turnovers. Monta played 49 minutes throughout the whole game, but he rolled his left ankle on Donte Greene
. The Warriors finished this game with a with a 119-112 win. Monta would play the next game against the Los Angeles Clippers
.
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 49 || 3 || 18.1 || .415 || .341 || .712 || 2.1 || 1.6 || .6 || .2 || 6.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 77 || 53 || 34.3 || .475 || .273 || .763 || 3.2 || 4.1 || 1.7 || .3 || 16.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 81 || 72 || 37.9 || .531 || .231 || .767 || 5.0 || 3.9 || 1.5 || .3 || 20.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 25 || 25 || 35.7 || .451 || .308 || .830 || 4.3 || 3.7 || 1.6 || .3 || 19.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 64 || 64 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 41.4 || .449 || .338 || .753 || 4.0 || 5.3 || 2.2 || .4 || 25.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 80 || 80 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 40.3 || .451 || .361 || .789 || 3.5 || 5.6 || 2.1 || .3 || 24.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 376 || 297 || 35.5 || .469 || .331 || .770 || 3.7 || 4.2 || 1.7 || .3 || 19.4
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 11 || 6 || 21.6 || .390 || .111 || .821 || 2.3 || .9 || .9 || .2 || 8.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 11 || 6 || 21.6 || .390 || .111 || .821 || 2.3 || .9 || .9 || .2 || 8.0
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who plays the shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
and point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
positions for the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. Ellis entered the 2005 NBA Draft
2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
after graduating from Lanier High School
Lanier High School (Jackson, Mississippi)
Lanier High School is a high school in Jackson, Mississippi . The current principal of Lanier High School is Dr. McClung.There were a total of 872 students enrolled in Lanier High during the 2006–2007 school year. The gender makeup of the district was 52% female and 48% male...
in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, and the Warriors drafted him in the second round. He is known for his spectacular speed, earning him the nickname "The Mississippi Bullet/Missile" and also for being a prolific scorer, capable of taking difficult shots.
High school career
Ellis' attended Lanier High SchoolLanier High School (Jackson, Mississippi)
Lanier High School is a high school in Jackson, Mississippi . The current principal of Lanier High School is Dr. McClung.There were a total of 872 students enrolled in Lanier High during the 2006–2007 school year. The gender makeup of the district was 52% female and 48% male...
in Jackson where he was named Parade Magazine High School Player of the Year 2005 (along with Greg Oden
Greg Oden
Gregory Wayne Oden, Jr. is an American basketball player at the center position. Oden is a member of the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA....
) and a USA Today All-American. He had committed to Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
before opting for the NBA in 2005. He scored a career-best 72 points in a game against Greenwood High School. As a junior, he scored 42 points in a 80–75 loss against renowned high school basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy
Oak Hill Academy (Virginia)
Oak Hill Academy is a co-educational, private Baptist-affiliated secondary school in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, United States. Oak Hill's enrollment of approximately 150 students is 98% boarders, serving grades 8–12...
, then the #1-ranked prep-basketball team in the country by USA Today, and their star future-NBA forward, Josh Smith
Josh Smith
Josh Smith is an American professional basketball player with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Josh is one of five kids born to Paulette and Pete Smith. His siblings are Walter, Phebe, Kasola and Shanti. His popular nickname is "J-Smoove".Smith attended John McEachern High School. For his senior...
, in front of a capacity crowd at the Marshall County Hoopfest in Benton, KY. His 42 points was the most ever scored against Oak Hill by an opposing player. In his senior season he scored 42 points in a game against South Gwinnett High School
South Gwinnett High School
South Gwinnett High School is a public high school in the United States for students in grades 9–12. The school is located in Snellville, Georgia and is part of the Gwinnett County Public Schools system, one of the 15 largest public school systems in the country...
in which he was guarded by Louis Williams
Louis Williams
Louis "Lou" Tyrone Williams is an American professional basketball player with the Philadelphia 76ers, who selected him with the 45th pick of the 2005 NBA Draft...
, at the Coliseum
Mississippi Coliseum
The Mississippi Coliseum is a 6,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Jackson, Mississippi, built in 1962 and located on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds complex...
. He led Lanier to a 129–16 record in his four seasons as a starter (2002–2005), winning the 4A state championship in 2002 (33–5) and 2005 (35–2, ranked #12 nationally by USA Today) and runner-up finishes in 2003 (31–4) and 2004 (30–5). He scored a total of 4,167 points in his prep career, making him second all-time in Mississippi history. He received first-team all-state recognition from the Clarion-Ledger in all four of his high school seasons and was named Mississippi's "Mr. Basketball" by the paper in 2005.
Golden State Warriors
Drafted by the Warriors in the second round (40th overall) in the 2005 NBA Draft2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
, Ellis was inserted into the starting lineup late in the 2005–06 NBA season, along with fellow rookie Ike Diogu
Ike Diogu
Ikechukwu Somtochukwu Diogu, referred to as Ike Diogu , is an Nigerian American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Los Angeles Clippers.-Family and early life:...
. He scored his first points on December 7, 2005 against the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
on a 3-point shot. He was highly regarded as one of the players to watch during the 2006 summer league, but was unable to compete due to knee problems. After receiving very little playing time as a rookie, Ellis improved immensely coming into his second year and began to show great potential. During the 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
, the Warriors traded Jason Richardson
Jason Richardson
Jason Anthoney "J-Rich" Richardson is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association.A 6'6", 225 lb...
and second-round draft pick Jermareo Davidson
Jermareo Davidson
Jermareo Davidson is an American basketball player. He played power forward for the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team.-High school:...
to the Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
for lottery
NBA Draft Lottery
The NBA Draft Lottery is an annual event held by the National Basketball Association in which the teams who had missed the playoffs in the previous season, or teams who hold the draft rights of another team that missed the playoffs in the previous season, participate in a lottery process to...
pick Brandan Wright
Brandan Wright
Brandan Keith Wright is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association . Growing up in Tennessee, Wright fast became a standout at his high school Brentwood Academy, earning an unprecedented three "Mr. Basketball" titles, a...
. The trade freed up about 10 million dollars in salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
space for the Warriors with which they could sign Ellis as well as fellow young star Andris Biedriņš
Andris Biedrinš
Andris Biedriņš is a Latvian professional basketball player who plays the power forward and center positions for the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He was drafted by the Warriors with the 11th overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft.-FIBA career:...
to extended contracts and allowed Ellis more time at the shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
spot. In his third season, Ellis became one of the Warriors' top performers, becoming a clutch player and pulling them through close games.
On July 25, 2008, Ellis signed a six-year, $67 million contract extension with the Warriors, making him the highest paid player on the team.
2006-07 season highlights
On January 24, 2007, Ellis hit his first career game-winning shot as time expired to give the Warriors a 110–109 victory over the New Jersey NetsNew Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
On January 31, he was selected to play in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge
Rookie Challenge
The Rookie Challenge is an exhibition basketball game held by the National Basketball Association on the Friday before the annual All-Star Game as part of the All-Star Weekend....
during the NBA's All-Star weekend. He scored a dunk-filled 28 points in a win for the sophomore team on 13 for 16 shooting. He was edged out by David Lee
David Lee (basketball)
David Lee is an American professional basketball player who is a power forward and center for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association . He played college basketball for the University of Florida and was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2005 NBA...
and Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball point guard for the New Orleans Hornets.Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake...
for the game's MVP honors.
On February 24, Ellis recorded a career-high 13 assists against the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
On April 26, he received the NBA's Most Improved Player Award
NBA Most Improved Player Award
The National Basketball Association's Most Improved Player Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1985–86 NBA season, to the most improved player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada,...
after averaging 16.5 points per game, a substantial increase from his average of 6.8 points per game as a rookie, edging out Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
shooting guard Kevin Martin
Kevin Martin (basketball)
Kevin Dallas Martin, Jr. , is an American professional basketball player currently with the Houston Rockets in the NBA. He is known for his knack for scoring, deceptive quickness and unorthodox style of shooting.-High school and college:...
by three votes and beating teammate Andris Biedriņš
Andris Biedrinš
Andris Biedriņš is a Latvian professional basketball player who plays the power forward and center positions for the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He was drafted by the Warriors with the 11th overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft.-FIBA career:...
. Ellis's points-per-game average compared to the previous season (6.8 to 16.5), an increase of 9.7, beat out Martin's increase of 9.4 (10.8 to 20.2).
Monta Ellis was part of the rotation of the Warriors that beat the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
in a seven-game series, becoming the first eight-seeded team to beat a one-seeded team in a seven-game series. The Mavericks had the best record in the NBA and were tied 6th all time having a record of 67-15, but the Warriors as an eight-seeded team with a record of 42-40 beat the one-seeded team Mavericks 4-2 in the series. Monta Ellis and fellow teammate Andris Biedriņš are the only Warriors left on the squad that were part of the team that had upset of the Mavericks in the 2007 NBA Playoffs. However, the Warriors lost in the Western Conference Semi-finals to the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
4-1
2007–08 season highlights
On January 24, 2008, Ellis scored 39 points (13-for-18 shooting from the field, 13-for-14 free-throw shooting) against the New Jersey NetsNew Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, exactly one year to-the-day of his first ever game-winning shot, which also came against the Nets.
Monta Ellis became the ninth guard in league history to average at least 20 points per game while averaging 60 percent from the field in a single month after making 60.2 percent of his shots in February, 2008. He was honored after the last game of the month by assistant coach Sidney Moncrief
Sidney Moncrief
Sidney A. Moncrief is a retired American professional basketball player. As an NCAA college basketball player from 1975–1979, Moncrief led the University of Arkansas Razorbacks trio known as "The Triplets" to the 1978 Final Four, which ended in a win in the NCAA Consolation Game versus #6 Notre Dame...
, one of the eight other players to achieve the feat; the other guards to perform this feat were John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
, Ricky Pierce
Ricky Pierce
Ricky Charles Pierce is a retired American National Basketball Association player.-Playing career:...
, Earl Monroe
Earl Monroe
Vernon Earl Monroe is an American former professional basketball player known for his flamboyant dribbling, passing, and play-making. His nicknames is "Earl the Pearl".-Early years:...
, Jim Paxson
Jim Paxson
James Joseph "Jim" Paxson is an American retired professional basketball player. A first round selection of the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1979 NBA Draft, Paxson played for the Portland and the Boston Celtics of the NBA from 1979-1990 and was twice an All-Star...
, Fred Brown, Sidney Moncrief
Sidney Moncrief
Sidney A. Moncrief is a retired American professional basketball player. As an NCAA college basketball player from 1975–1979, Moncrief led the University of Arkansas Razorbacks trio known as "The Triplets" to the 1978 Final Four, which ended in a win in the NCAA Consolation Game versus #6 Notre Dame...
, Brad Davis
Brad Davis (basketball)
Bradley Ernest Davis is a retired professional basketball player who spent the bulk of his National Basketball Association career with the Dallas Mavericks.-Biography:...
, and Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
. Monta Ellis also scored over 30 points in the month of February for four games straight.
Monta had a career-high average of shooting .531% from the field.
2008–09 season
Medial ligament of talocrural joint
The medial ligament of talocrural joint is a strong, flat, triangular band, attached, above, to the apex and anterior and posterior borders of the medial malleolus....
in his left ankle, after he informed the club that he had injured himself working out. Warriors general manager Chris Mullin
Chris Mullin
Chris Mullin may refer to:*Chris Mullin , English politician, journalist, and author*Chris Mullin , American basketball player...
revealed through an interview that Ellis received his injury during a pick-up game in a gym within his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. However, as was suspected during weeks of speculation, he was injured in a low-speed moped
Moped
Mopeds are a type of low-powered motorcycle designed to provide economical and relatively safe transport with minimal licensing requirements.Mopeds were once all equipped with bicycle-like pedals , but moped has been increasingly applied by governments to vehicles without pedals, based on their...
accident. Because dangerous activity such as this violates Paragraph 12 of his player contract, the Warriors organization opted to suspend Ellis for 30 games, the approximate number of games he expected to miss. In addition, the Warriors maintained the option to void his contract in the event his recovery had been unsuccessful. Initial reports stated that he would be out for at least three months from the date of his ankle surgery, although because of the suspension the earliest Ellis could play in a game was December 26. Ellis returned from his injury on January 23 in a home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and scored 20 points with three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.
After starting slowly in February, Ellis took several games off, and showed marked improvement in March, during which he averaged 23.5 points per game, shooting 49% from the field and 87% from the free-throw line. Ellis opened the month of April by scoring 42 points, while also adding nine rebounds and nine assists in an overtime win against the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
2010–11 season
In July, prior to the 2010-2011 season, Monta married Juanika Amos Ellis in Memphis, Tennessee.On October 27, 2010, Ellis tied a career-high 46 points (18-of-24 FG, 1-of-2 3pt, 9-of-12 FT) with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in Golden State's 132-128 win over the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
.
On December 14, 2010, Ellis poured in 34 points on 13-of-24 shooting during the Warriors' 108-99 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
.
On December 20, 2010, Ellis scored 44 points (15-of-20 FG, 3-of 4 3pt, 11-of-14 FT) with a rebound, 7 assists, 2 steals, and played 42 minutes despite a 112-121 loss at home vs. the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
.
Monta Ellis was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 20 - Dec. 26 while averaging 39.7 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Monta and the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
had 2 wins against the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
(117-109) on December 21, 2010 and the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
(109-102) on December 25, 2010, but 1 loss against the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
(112-121) on December 20, 2010.
On January 7, 2011, Ellis scored a game-high 32 points (10-of-21 FG, 4-of-5 3pt, 8-of-8 FT) with 10 assists, two rebounds, three steals and six turnovers in Golden State's win over the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
. The score was 116-98.
On January 19, 2011, Ellis scored 36 points (16-of-28 FG, 2-of-3 3pt, 2-of-3 FT) with 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 turnovers in Golden State's 110-108 win over the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. Monta made a game-winning jumper over Brandon Rush
Brandon Rush
Brandon Leray Rush is an American basketball player. On July 15, 2008, Rush signed a contract to play basketball for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted in 2008 by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Rush played for the University of Kansas in college for three seasons, including the 2007–2008...
for the Warriors while going on an isolation play with Brandon Rush guarding him.
On January 21, 2011, two days after he made a game-winning jumper, Monta made a jumper against the Sacramento Kings with Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Jamir Evans is an American professional basketball player with Virtus Roma in Italy. He is also under contract with the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association , but is not currently playing with them because of the 2011 NBA lockout...
guarding him to send the game to overtime. Monta finished with 28 points (12-of-29 FG, 1-of-6 3pt, 3-of-4 FT), 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, and a block despite having 7 turnovers. Monta played 49 minutes throughout the whole game, but he rolled his left ankle on Donte Greene
Donté Greene
Donté Dominic Greene is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA...
. The Warriors finished this game with a with a 119-112 win. Monta would play the next game against the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
NBA career statistics
| Led the league |
Regular season
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 49 || 3 || 18.1 || .415 || .341 || .712 || 2.1 || 1.6 || .6 || .2 || 6.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 77 || 53 || 34.3 || .475 || .273 || .763 || 3.2 || 4.1 || 1.7 || .3 || 16.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 81 || 72 || 37.9 || .531 || .231 || .767 || 5.0 || 3.9 || 1.5 || .3 || 20.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 25 || 25 || 35.7 || .451 || .308 || .830 || 4.3 || 3.7 || 1.6 || .3 || 19.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 64 || 64 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 41.4 || .449 || .338 || .753 || 4.0 || 5.3 || 2.2 || .4 || 25.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 80 || 80 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 40.3 || .451 || .361 || .789 || 3.5 || 5.6 || 2.1 || .3 || 24.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 376 || 297 || 35.5 || .469 || .331 || .770 || 3.7 || 4.2 || 1.7 || .3 || 19.4
Playoffs
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 11 || 6 || 21.6 || .390 || .111 || .821 || 2.3 || .9 || .9 || .2 || 8.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 11 || 6 || 21.6 || .390 || .111 || .821 || 2.3 || .9 || .9 || .2 || 8.0