35 Facts About LeRon Ellis

LeRon Perry Ellis was born on April 28,1969 and is an American former professional basketball player.

LeRon Ellis was drafted into the NBA after a mixed college basketball performance at the University of Kentucky and Syracuse University.

LeRon Ellis suffered several unsuccessful stints in the NBA over three non-consecutive seasons but spent the majority of his professional basketball career playing overseas.

LeRoy Ellis traversed the country with the NBA during the first eight years of LeRon's life.

In Portland LeRon Ellis attended Parkrose High School for his freshman and sophomore years.

LeRon Ellis decided to join his father even though the rest of the family were planning to move at a later time.

LeRon Ellis completed the rest of high school at Mater Dei and enrolled at the University of Kentucky on a basketball scholarship.

LeRon Ellis began his athletic accomplishments at an early age.

LeRon Ellis helped lead the Parkrose High School boys' basketball team to the Oregon state semi-finals during his freshman year.

LeRon Ellis was selected as part of the 1984 Oregon Boys' High School Water Polo All-Tourney Second Team and his school's water polo team placed third in the Oregon state water polo championship tournament.

LeRon Ellis left behind his feats in Portland after two years with Parkrose High for a new start in Southern California.

LeRon Ellis moved back to California with his father and the two settled in Orange County, where he caught the eye of Gary McKnight, the boys' basketball coach for the nearby Mater Dei High School.

LeRon Ellis excelled with the Mater Dei Monarchs and soon became one of the team's cornerstone players in the center position.

LeRon Ellis demonstrated both dominant offensive and defensive performances on the court, excellent shot blocking skills and was noted for being considerably quick and agile for his age.

LeRon Ellis scored a then career-high of 30 points in the tournament, was named the tournament's MVP and was selected as the Los Angeles Times' Player of the Week.

LeRon Ellis eventually narrowed his choices down to St John's, Georgetown University, the University of Southern California and the University of Kentucky.

Former Laker player and coach Pat Riley helped persuade LeRon Ellis to attend Kentucky on behalf of Wildcat's coach Eddie Sutton.

On September 15,1986, LeRon Ellis announced he would sign with Kentucky.

LeRon Ellis was rated as one of the top 20 high school basketball players in the nation and was the star player for the number two ranked boys' high school basketball team at the start of his senior year.

LeRon Ellis began the season helping his team make it to the 1986 King Cotton Tournament finals.

LeRon Ellis displayed outstanding athletic skills off the basketball court while at Mater Dei.

LeRon Ellis returned to water polo during his senior year and led the team in scoring.

LeRon Ellis was even involved in several non-athletic school activities, including participating in several theater productions with the Mater Dei drama club and winning first prize in the school's bake-off.

LeRon Ellis spent the summer of 1987 playing in the US Olympic Festival basketball games for the West team before entering the NCAA.

LeRon Ellis played a secondary role, mostly coming off the bench, behind center Robert Lock and power forward Winston Bennett during his freshman season.

However LeRon Ellis did manage to break into the starting lineup several times, making his debut as a starter on January 31,1988, against Notre Dame where he enjoyed a then-career high of 14 points and five steals.

LeRon Ellis made local headlines at the start of his sophomore year when he became the first African American inducted into the University of Kentucky's Kappa Alpha Order fraternity.

LeRon Ellis led Kentucky in points that season while starting in the power forward and center positions.

However LeRon Ellis was not without his own shortcomings, being considered inconsistent on offense and weak on defense.

LeRon Ellis again was courted by some of the nation's top college basketball programs upon making his announcement.

LeRon Ellis traveled across the country visiting UCLA, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Syracuse University during the 1989 summer.

LeRon Ellis was keenly interested in transferring to UNLV but had a sudden change of heart after discovering that their basketball program was under NCAA investigation and could possibly face sanctions similar to the University of Kentucky.

LeRon Ellis eventually announced on July 17,1989, that he would transfer to Syracuse.

LeRon Ellis played his final two college seasons at Syracuse University.

LeRon Ellis was selected 22nd overall in the 1991 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers and went on to play three NBA seasons for the Clippers, Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat.