2010-08-26 19:35:23 +0000 #1
Quote:
it was his single-minded focus that drove Monta Ellis to become of the best basketball players Mississippi has ever produced.
In the last year or so, however, the Golden State Warriors star from Lanier High School has found additional priorities. Ellis, 24, got married last month and is the beaming father of a 14-month-old boy, Monta Jr.
"Having my son changed my life (as far as) being a better person," Ellis said. "I never had my father in my life, so I wanted to do the opposite of what I was around. Going home and seeing him and my wife after going through something bad on the basketball court ... I walk in my house and it's a relief. I can sit there and laugh and play and relax and not think about basketball. I get a chance to be in a great environment."
Although Ellis has kept a low profile in Jackson this summer ("I just stay at home. That's why you don't see me or hear anything about me," he says), he was in the public eye Saturday afternoon at Lefleur's Bluff State Park. Ellis held a community picnic and school supply giveaway in conjunction with the launching of his ME8Foundation.
"It's something I've been talking about for the last few years," said Ellis, who's entering his sixth season in the NBA. "This is the first year I've really had a chance to break it down. I wanted to do more, but I had a lot going on this summer so I couldn't piece it all together. It's basically for the (causes of) underprivileged kids and breast cancer.
"Me being a Georgetown (community) native and coming from my background, I never had it all. I'm just trying to give other kids an opportunity to be successful in life. With breast cancer, I just had an auntie who beat it less than 10 months ago."
After falling to the second round of the draft in 2005, Ellis rebounded to make his mark in the NBA. He was the sixth-leading scorer in 2009-10, averaging a career-high 25.5 points in a league-high 41.4 minutes.
Nevertheless, there's been speculation in this offseason Ellis would be dealt as the Warriors - who finished a dismal 26-56 - reportedly looked to build around point guard Stephen Curry, runner-up for NBA Rookie of the Year in 2010.
"I think that was a rumor," said Ellis, who missed 18 games last season due to a sprained knee, ailing back and the flu. "The deal was with the (Golden State) players who got traded. I don't think it ever was with me.
"I'm happy where I am ... It's like when I talked to (Curry) this summer. The only thing we can do now is play basketball. I thought we did a great job last season, but we didn't get the wins. They (Warriors management) got us a lot of new pieces (including All-Star forward David Lee from the New York Knicks). Hopefully, we can stick them together and plug up the holes (that) we've been missing."
Now if the injury bug can just stay away.
"Who knows," he said with a chuckle. "It's like everybody who puts on a Warriors uniform gets hurt. We just have to wait for training camp and see how that goes."
www.clarionledger.co...hand-to-at-risk-kids
it was his single-minded focus that drove Monta Ellis to become of the best basketball players Mississippi has ever produced.
In the last year or so, however, the Golden State Warriors star from Lanier High School has found additional priorities. Ellis, 24, got married last month and is the beaming father of a 14-month-old boy, Monta Jr.
"Having my son changed my life (as far as) being a better person," Ellis said. "I never had my father in my life, so I wanted to do the opposite of what I was around. Going home and seeing him and my wife after going through something bad on the basketball court ... I walk in my house and it's a relief. I can sit there and laugh and play and relax and not think about basketball. I get a chance to be in a great environment."
Although Ellis has kept a low profile in Jackson this summer ("I just stay at home. That's why you don't see me or hear anything about me," he says), he was in the public eye Saturday afternoon at Lefleur's Bluff State Park. Ellis held a community picnic and school supply giveaway in conjunction with the launching of his ME8Foundation.
"It's something I've been talking about for the last few years," said Ellis, who's entering his sixth season in the NBA. "This is the first year I've really had a chance to break it down. I wanted to do more, but I had a lot going on this summer so I couldn't piece it all together. It's basically for the (causes of) underprivileged kids and breast cancer.
"Me being a Georgetown (community) native and coming from my background, I never had it all. I'm just trying to give other kids an opportunity to be successful in life. With breast cancer, I just had an auntie who beat it less than 10 months ago."
After falling to the second round of the draft in 2005, Ellis rebounded to make his mark in the NBA. He was the sixth-leading scorer in 2009-10, averaging a career-high 25.5 points in a league-high 41.4 minutes.
Nevertheless, there's been speculation in this offseason Ellis would be dealt as the Warriors - who finished a dismal 26-56 - reportedly looked to build around point guard Stephen Curry, runner-up for NBA Rookie of the Year in 2010.
"I think that was a rumor," said Ellis, who missed 18 games last season due to a sprained knee, ailing back and the flu. "The deal was with the (Golden State) players who got traded. I don't think it ever was with me.
"I'm happy where I am ... It's like when I talked to (Curry) this summer. The only thing we can do now is play basketball. I thought we did a great job last season, but we didn't get the wins. They (Warriors management) got us a lot of new pieces (including All-Star forward David Lee from the New York Knicks). Hopefully, we can stick them together and plug up the holes (that) we've been missing."
Now if the injury bug can just stay away.
"Who knows," he said with a chuckle. "It's like everybody who puts on a Warriors uniform gets hurt. We just have to wait for training camp and see how that goes."
www.clarionledger.co...hand-to-at-risk-kids
