Who is Monta Ellis?

If you are not an avid basketball fan or from the Bay Area, you probably don't know who Monta Ellis is. Why should you? He doesn't have a multi million dollar shoe deal with Nike. He doesn't go into the stands and throw Mike Tyson hay makers at fans. What he is doing is lighting the NBA up on a nightly basis and his name deserves to be heard.

The name is pronounced Mon-Tay. I first learned about Monta Ellis about three years ago at Oracle Arena on Martin Luther King Day. The Warriors were blowing out the Seattle Supersonics and a skinny 6'3" guard checked into the game. He immediately caught my eye with his great speed and athleticism. I left the Arena that day thinking that Monta could be a player and i kept hearing it from my dad, "That Mon-ta Ellis sure was impressive today." "What do you think of Mon-Ta Matt?" My dad didn't know his name then, but he knows it now.

So who exactly is Monta Ellis? Monta was a McDonald's All-American out of Lanier high in Jackson, Missippi. When Monta decided to enter the NBA Draft that year he was an after thought. With guys like Andrew Bynum, Martell Webster, and Gerald Green entering know one cared about the skinny kid from Jackson. Monta had a bad McDonald's game so he won't be that good. The Warriors didn't listen to that talk taking Monta with the 10th pick in the 2nd round (40th overall). The Warriors drafted another undersized two guard named Gilbert Arenas in 2001 and we know how that turned out. Everyone knows lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice, it does in the Golden State.

Monta got used to the bench in Mike Montgomery's system his rookie year. When he did get more run later in the season when the Warriors were eliminated from playoff contention Monta showed flashes of brilliance. Monta averaged nearly 7 points per game in only 18 minutes on the floor. He also showed elite quickness that turned into many fast break points for the Warriors. After the season a great thing happened for Monta. The Warriors brought in Mr. Fast break, Don Nelson to run the show. That opened up new doors not only for the Warriors future, but Monta was picture perfect for Nelson's run-and-gun system.

Early word out of Don Nelson's first training camp with the Warriors was that "Nellie" didn't like the way Monta played and he was looking for someone to take his spot in the rotation. The Warriors brought in Dajaun Wagner and many thought Monta was going to resume his position on the bench. That was not the case. Dajaun was cut before the season started and Monta got minutes immediately. Monta made it tough for Nellie not to put him on the floor. When you shoot 47 percent from the field and take the ball away 1.7 times a game you deserve to be in the rotation. By mid-season Monta cracked the starting five and was taking time away from the Warriors franchise player Jason Richardson. Monta finished the season averaging 16.5 points per game and was voted NBA Most Improved Player. The best thing yet was that Monta was part of the Warriors making the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons ending the longest drought in the league.

The scene was set for Monta to have his coming out party against the 67 win Dallas Mavericks. Don Nelson would have something else to say about that. Monta immediately found himself in Nelson's dog house against the Mav's. Monta struggled to guard the more physical and experienced Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse. Nelson knew that and rotated Matt Barnes and Jason Richardson in the lineup more often. The Warriors ended up stunning the world by taking down the Mav's in 6 games becoming only the second 8 seed to beat a 1 in the last ten years. Still Monta's confidence was shook. The Warriors went out in 5 games against the Utah Jazz and set up a big off season for the Warriors.

Don Nelson is an excellent motivator. Many may not see it but he is only behind Phil Jackson in getting the most out of his players. That's why he said he didn't like Monta before the 2007 season. That is why he sat Monta a lot in the playoffs. He knew that would only motivate the young star. During the 2007 NBA Draft Monta received some more motivation when the Warriors traded away starting shooting guard Jason Richardson opening the door for Monta to fill the void. That move also opened up cap room for the club to resign Monta after the season when he would become a restricted free agent. They would not let another Gilbert Arenas walk out on them.

The Warriors have another Gilbert Arenas. Monta came out gang busting this season. He is averaging 19.3 points per game on 53 percent from the field. 53 percent from the field for a guy that is only 6'3", 177 pounds. Quite impressive. What is more impressive is what Monta did in the Month of February. Monta shot a ridiculous 60% from the field. Not for a three game stretch, the whole month. He became only the ninth guard in league history to ever accomplish that feat. Monta is a little guy, a 7 footer accomplishing that is impressive enough but for little Monta, that is insane. During that stretch he put up 26.3 points per game alluding to what Monta will be able to do in the future. The crazy thing to think is that there is going to be more from this guy. Did i mention he is one of the better rebounding guards in the league pulling down 4.6 per game. This is only his third season and at 22 years old the milky way is the limit for this extraordinary talent.

So with shoe company And 1 now coming out with their "Who is Monta Ellis" campaigns around the globe Monta should be a household name soon. To answer your question dad, "I love Mon-Ta Ellis, he is going to be a great player in this league for years to come." I know who Monta Ellis is. Do You?

Mathew Borges