The post Kings' Ellis proves he deserves to be in the NBA with patience and professionalism appeared first on NBC Sports Bay Area
SACRAMENTO — If you're ready, you don't have to be prepared.
That's the philosophy and mindset of Kings guard Keon Ellis, and he continues to make the most of the opportunities he's given.
On Wednesday night, he made his sixth consecutive start of the 2023-24 NBA season. His two-way presence led to Sacramento's 120-107 win Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center, earning a season sweep over the Los Angeles Lakers and improving his record as a starter to a perfect 6-0.
“Keown is a true professional,” Kings veteran forward Harrison Barnes said after Sacramento's win. “If you look at his season, you look at the games where he gets a DNP, and then all of a sudden he's shoved into the starting lineup because he has to guard another team's top player. He's 6-0 as a starter. I think that's probably the best winning percentage for a starter in franchise history.
“But he deserves credit for always being ready and giving this team a boost where we needed it defensively.”
To be called a true professional by one of the most professional athletes in the sport speaks volumes.
But Burns isn't the first person to use the word to describe the 24-year-old security guard.
Ellis' maturity and perseverance has been praised by Kings teammates and coaches throughout the season, and having him in the starting lineup especially makes his teammates' jobs a little easier.
Kings star point guard De'Aaron Fox has taken a dramatic leap forward in his defensive approach this season thanks to the backing of defensive-minded coach Mike Brown. And while Fox typically takes on the task of guarding the other team's star guard, having Ellis on the floor frees him up to that task.
“Like I said before, when Keon is on the court, good things happen,” Fox said after the game. “The way he plays and guards is unusual. The way he gets through screens, even if he's guarding someone we consider 'hot,' he sometimes slides underneath and stays in front of the ball.” , you may be able to compete for shots. And he’s been shooting the ball well for us. Not only does he excel on the other side of the court, he also adds to our offense.
“I mean, he's been great for us this season, whether he's starting or playing minutes. I think you're starting to notice that he's getting more comfortable as he's gotten more minutes. He was a great asset to us.”
Ellis recorded 18 DNPs (Did Not Play) this season and played for both Sacramento and Stockton's G League teams as a two-way player. But Ellis' resilience and hard work paid off with a regular NBA contract last month, when he signed a three-year deal with the Kings that allows him to continue playing without restrictions.
After playing college baseball at Florida Southwestern University and the University of Alabama, Ellis went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft and signed a two-way contract with Sacramento in July of the same year. The Kings gave him an additional two-way contract last July, then signed him to a multi-year deal in February.
Ellis and his NBA journey are more than just an exciting, feel-good story about an undrafted athlete. This deal returns the sixth-seeded Kings to the playoffs for the second consecutive season, giving them a real chance to showcase their talent and prove they belong in the league while competing against the best of the best. gave him.
And that's exactly what he's doing.
“Eight deflections. Not only that, he's 6-0 as a stater,” Brown said of Ellis. “He's done a great job for a player who was two-way until the halfway point of the year. Even though he played 48 minutes, to get eight deflections in a game where he played 28 minutes is amazing. is.
“Mr. Keon's job is difficult.”
This season, Ellis played in 39 games, averaging 12.3 minutes and averaging 3.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists on 43.6 percent shooting from the field and 37.6 percent from 3-point range.
Over the past five games, he has averaged 7.4 points on 14-of-24 field goals (58.3 percent) and 8-of-15 from deep (53.3 percent), 2.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.8 points in just over 20 minutes played. Recorded a steal. .
With a team full of sharpshooters like Keegan Murray, Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk, the Kings offense has a way of feeding off each other's energy.
Fox believes the same is true on the other side of the floor and that Ellis' defensive prowess will help solidify the Kings' defense.
“Absolutely, definitely. Especially when it's the players who are putting pressure on the ball. All the time. [Ellis] He came off the bench and he and Davion [Mitchell] We started putting pressure on the ball, and it was contagious,” Fox said. “You feel that energy. When you see a guy turn someone over in the backcourt a couple of times, the defense feeds off of that, and he's definitely been great for us.
“That’s a big reason why our defense has been the way it has been the last two games.
On Tuesday night, Ellis shut down Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard's 3-point machine. After averaging 42.3 points and 24.4 points, Lillard finished with just 10 points on 2-of-12 shooting from the field and 1-of-6 shooting from behind the arc. His percentage from the field this season was 35.2 percent from downtown.
The next day, Ellis did the same thing with Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell. Russell has been on a roll lately, averaging 21.6 points on 47.5 percent from the field and 44.9 percent from 3-point range since January.
Russell finished Wednesday's game with six points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field and 1-of-4 from deep.
The struggles and inconsistency of Huerter, Barnes, and Murray this season have led many Kings fans to question, and at times demand, making Ellis' move into the starting lineup permanent.
Brown's confidence in his current starting pitcher will remain unchanged, at least for now.
“There’s a lot to it,” Brown said. “It depends on how it feels. Kevin gives us a lot too. Will the team be better with Kevin, Keegan and HB coming off the bench and starting Keown? I don't know. Not yet. There's no sense. Keon can always be brought into the game early. Keon can average 20 to 25 minutes per game if needed. Similar to Malik. [Monk]It allows us the luxury of playing different lineups based on the flow of the game while still finishing the way we want to finish.
“We go out there and the flow of the game might be in our favor no matter who starts. OK, let's get on with it. OK, they want to go run, they've got Malik, they've got Keon. You know Davion is coming off the bench, and that just adds to what is already a very good bench.”
Whether he's a starter or coming off the bench, Ellis' growth from undrafted player to two-way player to a true professional on a team aiming for a championship has been nothing short of impressive.
And it's clear he's just getting started.
