Wayne Ellington
Encyclopedia
Wayne Robert Ellington Jr. (born November 29, 1987 in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
), is an American basketball player who was drafted 28th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft
by the Minnesota Timberwolves
of the National Basketball Association
. Ellington played for the University of North Carolina
from 2006 to 2009.
Ellington, 6'4" tall and 200 lbs, is a shooting guard
who chose to forgo his final season of college eligibility to declare for the 2009 NBA Draft
. His career-best performance came during a 90–88 overtime win against Clemson
on January 6, 2008, in which he led all scorers with 36 points.
, and then 1,756 points at The Episcopal Academy
. He played at Episcopal along with Gerald Henderson, Jr.
, a member of the Charlotte Bobcats
. In his senior year, Ellington averaged 21.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and shot 39% from the 3-Point line. He led Episcopal to an overall record of 52-7 in his junior and senior year, and to the Inter-Academic League
Conference title in his last two years going 20-0 in both seasons. (Episcopal doesn't play in state championships.)
As a sophomore, Ellington saw his points-per-game average increase as the Tar Heels increasingly went to him in key moments of games. In the January 6, 2008 game at Clemson, Ellington scored a career high 36 points, including the game winning three-pointer with 0:00.4 seconds left in overtime to lead top-rated UNC over #19 Clemson 90-88. But again, his season ended in a poor fashion, as he shot only 1 for 9 from three-point range, in a loss to Kansas in a national semifinal game in the NCAA Tournament. He declared for the 2008 NBA Draft
after that season, but did not hire an agent
, and withdrew to play his junior year at North Carolina.
As a Junior, Ellington helped lead the Tar Heels
to the National Championship, where they defeated the Michigan State Spartans 89-72. He shot 7-10 from three-point range in the Final Four, and he was named to the All-Tournament Team and was named NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player
.
On April 23, 2009 Ellington announced that he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2009 NBA Draft
, where he was drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves
, 28th overall.
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota
| 76 || 0 || 18.2 || .424 || .395 || .871 || 2.1 || 1.0 || .3 || .1 || 6.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota
| 62 || 8 || 19.0 || .403 || .397 || .792 || 1.7 || 1.2 || .4 || .0 || 6.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 138 || 9 || 18.6 || .414 || .396 || .837 || 1.9 || 1.1 || .4 || .1 || 6.6
|}
Source
who finished 5th.
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania is a suburban community located outside of Philadelphia in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania and Haverford Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Wynnewood was named in 1691 for Dr. Thomas Wynne, William Penn's physician and the first Speaker of the Pennsylvania General...
), is an American basketball player who was drafted 28th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
by 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...
of the National Basketball Association
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...
. Ellington played for the University of North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
from 2006 to 2009.
Ellington, 6'4" tall and 200 lbs, is a 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...
who chose to forgo his final season of college eligibility to declare for the 2009 NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
. His career-best performance came during a 90–88 overtime win against Clemson
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
on January 6, 2008, in which he led all scorers with 36 points.
High school
Ellington scored 2,211 points in his high school career, tallying 455 points at Daniel Boone High SchoolDaniel Boone Area High School
Daniel Boone Area High School is located in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, as part of the Daniel Boone Area School District in south-eastern Berks County. It is located about northwest of Philadelphia along the southern border of Berks County, within 15 minutes of Reading to the north and Pottstown to...
, and then 1,756 points at The Episcopal Academy
The Episcopal Academy
The Episcopal Academy, founded in 1785, is a private, co-educational school for grades Pre-K through 12. In 2008, it relocated from its Merion, Pennsylvania campus and Devon, Pennsylvania satellite campus to its new campus in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania...
. He played at Episcopal along with Gerald Henderson, Jr.
Gerald Henderson, Jr.
Jerome McKinley "Gerald" Henderson, Jr. is an American basketball player who was drafted 12th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association...
, a member of 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...
. In his senior year, Ellington averaged 21.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and shot 39% from the 3-Point line. He led Episcopal to an overall record of 52-7 in his junior and senior year, and to the Inter-Academic League
Inter-Academic League
The Inter-Academic League is an inter-scholastic athletic conference. The high school sports league consists of selective private schools in the Philadelphia area and surrounding suburbs...
Conference title in his last two years going 20-0 in both seasons. (Episcopal doesn't play in state championships.)
College
Ellington played in all 38 games for the ACC Champion Tar Heels in 2006-2007, averaging 11.7 points per game. He was named to the 2007 ACC All-Tournament Team. His season ended on a sour note though, as North Carolina lost to Georgetown in the East Regional final of the NCAA Tournament. Ellington had a chance to win the game in regulation, but missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds.As a sophomore, Ellington saw his points-per-game average increase as the Tar Heels increasingly went to him in key moments of games. In the January 6, 2008 game at Clemson, Ellington scored a career high 36 points, including the game winning three-pointer with 0:00.4 seconds left in overtime to lead top-rated UNC over #19 Clemson 90-88. But again, his season ended in a poor fashion, as he shot only 1 for 9 from three-point range, in a loss to Kansas in a national semifinal game in the NCAA Tournament. He declared for the 2008 NBA Draft
2008 NBA Draft
The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
after that season, but did not hire an agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
, and withdrew to play his junior year at North Carolina.
As a Junior, Ellington helped lead the Tar Heels
2008-09 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team
The 2008–09 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Head Coach was Roy Williams. The team played its home games in the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
to the National Championship, where they defeated the Michigan State Spartans 89-72. He shot 7-10 from three-point range in the Final Four, and he was named to the All-Tournament Team and was named NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player
NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player
At the conclusion of the NCAA men's and women's Division I basketball championships , the Associated Press selects a Most Outstanding Player. The MOP need not be, but almost always is a member of the Championship team, especially since the third place game was eliminated after 1981...
.
On April 23, 2009 Ellington announced that he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2009 NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
, where he was drafted in the first round by 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...
, 28th overall.
College statistics
| Season | Team | G | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | 3P% | FT% | MIN | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | North Carolina Tar Heels North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history... |
38 | 11.7 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | .433 | .371 | .836 | 23.9 | 1.2 |
| 2007-08 | North Carolina Tar Heels North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history... |
39 | 16.6 | 4.5 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | .467 | .400 | .826 | 31.1 | 1.7 |
| 2008-09 | North Carolina Tar Heels North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history... |
38 | 15.8 | 4.9 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | .483 | .417 | .777 | 30.4 | 1.6 |
| Totals: | 115 | 14.7 | 4.1 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 | .462 | .396 | .809 | 28.5 | 1.5 | |
NBA career
Wayne Ellington was drafted 28th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He averaged 6.6 points per game and 2.1 rebounds per game in his rookie season off of the bench.|-
| 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;"| Minnesota
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...
| 76 || 0 || 18.2 || .424 || .395 || .871 || 2.1 || 1.0 || .3 || .1 || 6.6
|-
| 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;"| Minnesota
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...
| 62 || 8 || 19.0 || .403 || .397 || .792 || 1.7 || 1.2 || .4 || .0 || 6.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 138 || 9 || 18.6 || .414 || .396 || .837 || 1.9 || 1.1 || .4 || .1 || 6.6
|}
Source
International
Ellington was a member of the team that represented the U.S. in men's basketball at the 2007 Pan American Games2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to July 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in...
who finished 5th.