Rosell Ellis

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Rosell Ellis

Position	Forward
Nickname	The Journeyman Mr. Everything
Height	199cm
Weight	106kg
Team	Townsville Crocodiles (NBL)
Nationality	United States
Born	February 19, 1975 (1975-02-19) (age 33) Seattle, Washington
College/University	McNeese State University
Debut	2005
Previous Clubs	Yakima Sun Kings 2000, 2005 Coca-Cola Tigers 2002 Barangay Ginebra Kings 2003-04 Perth Wildcats 2005 South Dragons 2007 Alaska Aces 2007 Townsville Crocodiles 2007-2008
Championships	2007 PBA Fiesta Conference
Career Highlights	Best Import 2007 PBA Fiesta Conference

Rosell Ellis (born February 19, 1975 in Seattle, Washington) plays as an import in the Philippine Basketball Association and the Australian National Basketball League.

[edit] Career

Rosell Ellis was a former Washington state player of the year for Rainier Beach High School, where he was a 1993 McDonald's All-American. His high school coach, Mike Bethea, remembers him as "domineering and overpowering" player. Ellis' work ethic has assumed legendary status in his high school; Bethea never fails to cite Ellis' energetic play during preseason motivational talks with the team.

He played two years for McNeese State in the NCAA Division I. During his senior year at McNeese State, Ellis averaged 18.5 points per game on almost 67 percent shooting.^[1]

After his college career, Ellis joined the Des Moines (Iowa) Dragons of the now-defunct International Basketball Association, and became the league's fifth-leading scorer. He attracted scouts to his games but had an incident in January 1998. There were NBA scouts in the stands when Ellis lost his mind and put an IBA referee in a choke hold. According to Ellis, a referee, Bob Schoewe, was berating players as they lined up around the paint for free throws. Ellis snapped back at Schoewe, who denies insulting the players, and in turn gave Ellis a technical foul in retaliation. Ellis protested again and the ref called a second technical and ejected him from the game. Ellis ran to the scorer's table where Schoewe was reporting the ejection, leaped on the referee's back, and put Schoewe in a sleeper hold. A throng of coaches, players, referees, and security officers pulled Ellis away from Schoewe and brought him to the locker room. The IBA banned him for a year for this action. This action was after Latrell Sprewell's choking of his coach, thus Ellis was shunned by NBA scouts. Now, Ellis looks at this incident as one of his big misdeeds.^[2]

Ellis trialled with the Detroit Pistons in 2001. He played four seasons in the Philippines and last averaged 24 points and 14 rebounds per game. He was also named to the All-CBA Third Team in 2003 ^[3]. He also won a CBA championship with the Yakima Sun Kings in 2000. Ellis has also played in Argentina, Venezuela, Poland, Indonesia and China. ^[4]

Ellis came to the Perth Wildcats as a late replacement for Jaron Brown in the 2004/05 season, where he was asked to split time at the 4 and 5 spots. He was the best shooter in the NBL for that season, shooting 61% from the floor and was named by australiabasket.com in the All-NBL 2nd Team, the NBL All-Defensive Team and the NBL All-Newcomers Team. He was named the Round 21 NBL Player of the Week in 2005. In the same season, he also collected the 2005 Gordon Ellis Medal, the Wildcats' highest individual player honour and the team's Best Defensive Player award. He set his NBL-career best 38 points and 15 rebounds vs Crocodiles on November 26, 2004. He finished the 04/05 season with averages of 17.9 point, 9.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game.^[5]

Rosell Ellis led the NBL in rebounding in 2007 by averaging 11.3 rebounds in 27 games.^[6] Having played 57 games in the NBL, Ellis has averaged 10.5rpg, 18ppg and 2.1 assists and won the Player of the Week award on two occasions.

Christened as "Mr. Everything", he also clinched the 2007 PBA Fiesta Conference Best Import award in runaway fashion. ^[7]

He signed with the Townsville Crocodiles in the NBL for the 2007-2008 season. However he injured his pectoral muscle only two games into the season and was consequently forced to undergo season ending surgery.

[edit] Player Profile

Ellis has a reputation as one of the most reliable forwards in international basketball, a consistent 20-point scorer who plays phone-booth defense and often outworks his local teammates in practice. Described to be a workhorse with great character, he leads his rebounding and hustle takes his team's playing to a new level. One indication of his success as an import is how rarely he has been replaced, as teams are quick to replace players since there are few guaranteed contracts in international basketball.

In the post, Ellis is strong enough to create space against taller players and release an almost automatic baby hook shot. His first step and battering-ram shoulder are enough to consistently get him into the key, where he rarely misses.^[8]

[edit] References